Fuuka Academy for the Naturally Gifted
by EvanescentAmethyst
Summary: So this was Fuuka Academy for the Naturally Gifted? She'd expected more somehow. After another glance at the girls giggling over in the corner, Natsuki came to the conclusion it was just another school. Well, another school except for the superpowers...
1. Chapter 1

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Fuuka Academy for the Naturally Gifted

**A/N: ****Hi everyone :D This is my very first fan fiction. I was wondering what the main plot should be (well other then as much Shiznat as physically possible) , and I kind of came up with a Sky High thing (superpower school). Though for everyone who has actually seen the movie, rest assured; neither Shizuru nor Natsuki will be turned into babies (it's actually highly likely no one will be). This fanfiction will mostly revolve around Natsuki and Shizuru's relationship, but it does have what I hope resembles a plot. I really hope you all like it!**

**Review are extremely welcome!!! **

**Disclaimer: If I owned anything, do you really think this disclaimer would be here?**

**Chapter #1: Welcome to Fuuka**

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"Everyone, please take your seats." A stern voice came from the front of the auditorium. Natsuki glanced up briefly from her position; leaning casually against the far wall.

Everyone hurried around her to get to their seats, not wanting to infer the wrath of the woman at the front. Natsuki took another look at the woman and smirked quietly to herself. _I guess Miss Maria hasn't changed at all._

Her mother had warned her in advance to stay on her good side. A warning especially needed in Natsuki's case. After getting suspended three times from her previous high school, her mother wasn't sure if Natsuki would make it through the end of her semester.

The suspensions had been totally unfair of course. Takeda _was _staring at her weirdly, holding his nose. And how was she supposed to know that a chair to the head could have done more then just render him unconscious? It's not like there actually _were_ life threatening injuries. And if she was supposed to know that then he should have too. Meaning he might have actually had the spontaneous thought to _duck_ the flying chair headed his way. _Okay, calm down. _ A now fuming Natsuki mentally told her self. _It's completely fine now. You finally got your powers, and you got out of that school._

**"Sit** **down." **A voice hissed into the microphone. Natsuki raised an eyebrow and turned back to the graying woman at the front. She followed her gaze to a quivering boy who looked slightly older then her. Suddenly glad she was too far away to be seen properly, Natsuki resumed her leaning, crossing her arms.

So this was Fuuka Academy for the Naturally Gifted? She'd expected more somehow after all the stories she'd been told by her parents. After another glance at the girls giggling over in the corner, Natsuki came to the conclusion it was just another school. Well, just another school plus superpowers for all involved.

Fuuka Acadamey was basically a training center for people who had abilities unique to the common person. No one was exactly sure how they worked, but the predisposition was usually passed on genetically through families. The powers inherited however, usually had nothing to do with the parent's powers.

Natsuki's parents had met here, and even partnered for deployment after they graduated. Natsuki's mother was a shape-shifter, and her father was incredibly fast on his feet. The two made an amazing pair, and were renowned worldwide for their abilities. Needless to say it was a little worrying when their only child had not received her powers by the time she turned 14.

Natsuki was sent to a regular high school, with the promise from her parents that it was only temporary. There was no set time for inheriting powers, though most had theirs in time to enter Fuuka High for grade 9. Natsuki was told she was now one of the few new students entering grade 10. She'd even have to have special training to make up for her missed year. For the daughter of one of the more famous pairings, it was embarrassing to get her powers so late.

_Well, at least you actually got them. _Natsuki reminded herself. It was rare but not unheard of for a child of two "Gifted" people to not inherit powers at all. At the beginning of the year Natsuki had still been hopeful, but as the year progressed she grew more and more doubtful. So, when she literally did manage to freeze someone with a glare she was pretty ecstatic. Now that she'd already gotten over the wow factor of being able to coat someone in a thick layer of ice, she was back to being embarrassed about being so late to get her power.

"Now, I would like to take the opportunity to introduce you to Fuuka Academy's headmistress, Kazahana Mashiro. Kazahana-san?" Ms. Maria grabbed the microphone off the stand and passed it to the woman being wheeled to the front by a pink haired woman. Natsuki immediately recognized the lavender haired woman. She was quite famous herself, being both the principal of Fuuka and a powerful telepath. The woman was smaller then Natsuki would have thought, but something about radiated strength.

"Arigato Maria-san." Mashiro spoke softly. She paused, glancing around the full auditorium. "For all of you returning to Fuuka Academy, it's good to have you back. For all of you who are joining us this year, I wish to extend my warmest welcome. Fuuka Academy for the Naturally Gifted is glad to have you. As I'm sure you're all aware, attending Fuuka Academy carries with it the prestige of...."

And that's when Natsuki started tuning everything out. She glanced around the auditorium, pausing only to glare at an annoying senior who grinned at her. He paled quite rapidly and turned back to the front. Natsuki, feeling quite pleased with herself, turned to read the sign on the wall behind her. _Do not use powers in the Auditorium. _Natsuki snorted back laughter and shifted in her chair.

"New students will have to report to the main forum after the assembly to receive their room number and key. Orientation for these who wish to attend will be held this afternoon in the auditorium. _Yeah right. _Natsuki chuckled to herself.

"Roommates cannot be negotiated except in extreme circumstances..."

And with those words, Natsuki paled. _Roommates? As in people....living with me.... in the same room? Shoot me now. _Her parents had failed to tell her about that small little detail, andNatsuki wasn't exactly a people person.

"Classes will officially begin tomorrow. Class schedules can be picked up along with room keys."

_Well, that's that. _Natsuki thought to herself, deciding she'd learned everything of great interest. "I'm so out of here." She muttered, standing up straight. She turned to leave, looking for the exit.

"Ara."A surprised voice came from beside her. "...Going somewhere?"

Natsuki jumped a little, surprised by the voice. She hadn't noticed anyone beside her. She turned quickly, an annoyed look already plastered on her face.

"I was trying..." Natsuki froze when her eyes rested on the girl. "...to." She finished, swallowing hard. The girl was leaning casually against the wall beside her, a small smile displayed across her face. Natsuki was immediately drawn in by her startling ruby eyes.

_She has red eyes? _Natsuki thought to herself. _Wow, they're intense. _Natsuki managed to pry her eyes away form the girl's stare to study the rest of her. The girl had an incredible figure, displayed by a small gray miniskirt, and a tight fitting shirt. Her light brown hair flowed down past her shoulders, framing her face perfectly. Natsuki inhaled sharply.

The girl simply stared back at her, a now amused look playing on her face. _Why is she smirking at me like th... oh God, I'm staring at her like a creep. _Natsuki blushed in sudden realization and quickly restored the glare to her face.

"Is there a problem with that?" Natsuki asked, crossing her arms defensively.

The girl raised her eyebrows, as a quiet laugh escaped her lips. _I don't believe I've ever seen such and adorable blush._

"Ara, so angry."

Natsuki blinked at her, now feeling genuine anger. _She has an accent?_ "What's with the accent? What are you... from Kyoto?" She snapped sarcastically.

"Yes actually." The girl replied, the smile never leaving her face.

Natsuki froze. _Oh good one Natsuki, obviously she is. _"...W..well... that's wonderful for you. I'll be going now." Natsuki started to move towards the exit, at a noticeably faster pace this time.

The girl got off the wall and stood in front of her, blocking the way.

"Don't you think you should probably stay?" The girl asked in her thick Kyoto-ben.

Natsuki stopped before plowing into her and glared. "Why would I **possibly** need to stay for this?"

"You are new here correct?" The girl smiled, ignoring the glare. _Ara, I'm sure I'd remember a girl like this. She'd definitely recognize me from last year if she wasn't._

"So?" Natsuki glared even harder. _Okay, I'm glaring. So why isn't she running?_

"So it is important you hear all there is to say. The assembly is after all held for new students."

Natsuki scowled. "I already heard everything I need to know. Not that I don't appreciate your concern."

"Ara, but I hear the student council president will be making her speech shortly." The girl replied smiling. _This girl... whoever she is, is stunning. Does she know how gorgeous she is? … My, I really must get a hold of myself._

"And I should care why?" Natsuki asked angrily. "She's probably just some stuck up, underdressed and overexposed, brainless idiot."

Natsuki saw a flicker of shock register on the girl's face. _That has to be the first time she hasn't smiled all day. _Then, as if it never happened at all, the girl regained the calm smile.

"I'm sorry you feel that way." She replied. "Though if I do say so myself, I think that may be a little premature."

"Trust me." Natsuki smirked. "It's better just to ignore people like that."

"You have so much anger for one so beautiful." The girl smiled sadly.

"H..hey!" Natsuki blushed furiously. The girl giggled happily.

Natsuki let some of her midnight blue hair fall onto her face in hopes of hiding the blush. "Who are you anyway?"

"Ara, my manners." The girl grinned at the look on her face. "Fujino Shizuru. Pleased to meet you."

Natsuki hesitated at the outstretched hand. "Kuga, Natsuki."

"Kuga Natsuki." The brown haired girl repeated. "Na-tsu-ki."

Hearing her name said like that, especially with the incredible accent, made Natsuki blush slightly.

"It's a beautiful name." Shizuru smiled, intensifying the blush.

"F..Fujino!"

"Please, call me Shizuru." _I could get used to that blush. _Shizuru thought gleefully._ Not to mention her screaming my name… Ara, that sounded naughty now didn't it?_

Natsuki watched, confused as Shizuru chuckled at some unknown joke.

"...Okay, Shizuru." Natsuki replied slowly and Shizuru beamed.

"Now, Natsuki really should pay attention to the rest of the assembly." Shizuru said, locking eyes with Natsuki. Natsuki could only hold the intensity for a moment before looking away.

"Fine." She huffed, leaning back onto the wall. Shizuru followed suit, leaning beside her in manor a little too close for Natsuki's comfort.

"...And so, I sincerely hope you will all try your best to succeed in this school. I would now like to hand over the mike to your student council president for 2009."

Insane cheering erupted, startling Natsuki. _Okay, slight overkill, don't you think?_

Natsuki turned to smirk at Shizuru when she noticed the girl stand up straight.

"I'm sorry Natsuki, but I must take my leave." She said simply.

"What!?" Natsuki exclaimed. "If I have to stay, so do you."

Shizuru looked around sheepishly.

Natsuki followed her gaze to meet the eyes of the entire auditorium. "Shizuru?..."

"Yes Natsuki?"

"Why is everyone staring at us?"

Shizuru just smiled placidly. "I really must go now."

"Shizuru!" Natsuki glared.

"Please stay for the rest Natsuki." Shizuru smiled as she walked away. Natsuki groaned. _I really don't see why I should stay if you don't. Clearly you don't think it's that important._

Natsuki crossed her arms angrily, debating whether or not to go. _Argh, why do I care? Just cause some girl I just met asked me to stay? Honestly. _She was just about to walk out when a second series of earsplitting cheers erupted.

"Ara, ara. All this for me?"

Natsuki froze, and turned to face the front very slowly. Shizuru was standing up at the podium like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Arigato, everyone." She laughed, flicking her hair back with the hand not holding the mike.

_What the hell is Shizuru doing up there? _Natsuki thought frantically, trying to find some sort of logical explanation..... _I thought the student council presid.... oh. Oh!... She's the.... What the hell!?_

Natsuki glared up at the front in sudden realization.

_My, she doesn't look happily surprised. _Shizuru thought from up at the front.

"I remember when I first came to Fuuka Academy three years ago. At first I was nervous to be at a new school. However, soon I started to get used to life at Fuuka. And trust me when I say that this is no ordinary school." There were various chuckled from audience members. Natsuki just stared, gaping slightly. How could this be the girl she was talking to a few minutes before?

"At Fuuka high you will learn many things necessary for you in the future, some from teachers, and some from friends. As for the council, I hope we can be both. If at any time you need help, whether with... a self defense move, or a difficult math problem, please feel free to ask the council for assistance. I look forward to getting to know many of you personally through your time here. Please make the most of it. I wish you all good luck and offer my friendship. I hope you all have an enlightening year. Arigato, Fuuka Academy."

Natsuki glanced at the audience uncertainly. The audience broke out into yet another fury of clapping. Natsuki looked back up at Shizuru only to find ruby eyes staring back at her. Natsuki blushed, even though she could still feel the anger from her realization. She looked away, and contemplated walking out once again.

"And now I'd like to call up the rest of the council to introduce themselves." Shizuru said, beaming at the audience like she knew them all on a first name basis. Natsuki glanced around again at the audience.

"Fujino-san's so pretty." One of the nearby girls giggled.

"Pretty _hot_." The guy beside her laughed.

Natsuki twitched. Fans of hers? _This is so screwed up. She's like a celebrity or something. So why would she waste time talking to me?_

Natsuki watched as the rest of the council assembled on stage.

"I'll leave the rest in your capable hands Haruka-san." Shizuru said quietly so the mike wouldn't pick it up.

"Typical bubuzuke." Haruka growled.

"Haruka." Yukino warned. "We _are_ on stage."

"There's someone I need to talk to." Shizuru explained to Reito.

"You are, as always, a mystery Fujino-san." Reito smiled, making every girl's (well every girl not looking at Shizuru) heart melt.

Natsuki watched as the various council members began to introduce themselves. The next thing she knew Shizuru was walking down from the stage towards her calmly.

Natsuki paused. _Is she really coming back here after that? _When Shizuru smiled at her from ten feet away, Natsuki decided it was time to go. She glared one last time at Shizuru before walking off to the exit.

"Natsuki?" She heard Shizuru call out before the door closed again. Satisfied that her cool factor had been preserved, she broke out into a run in case Shizuru decided to follow her. Natsuki didn't honestly know why she felt so angry. Seeing Shizuru up on stage in front of all her adoring "fans" make her feel sick to her stomach.

_Great. _Natsuki thought to herself. _Now all I have to do is wait for everyone to get out of the assembly so I can get my key and schedule. That shouldn't take that long … right?_

* * *

During the two more hours it took for the assembly to end Natsuki had toured the school grounds, gone to the cafeteria in search of food (it wasn't open), frozen all three lakes/ponds on the school grounds, and jogged around the entire school four times. Finally the doors burst open and students piled out.

_Thank God. _Natsuki thought. She followed the first ones to the forum. When she finally got in line there were only about 20 people ahead of her.

"Ow." Natsuki hissed when someone forcefully bumped into her. She turned around and glared at the guy behind her.

"S..Sorry?" The guy stuttered. Natsuki turned back around and the line moved on without incident.

"Name?" The red headed girl asked her when she got to the desk.

"Kuga." Natsuki replied, tapping her foot.

"Kuga Natsuki?" The girl asked, without looking at the sheet.

"Is there another Kuga?" Natsuki asked impatiently.

"I've found her!" The girl shrieked, standing up quickly.

Natsuki prepared herself for a fight, clenching her fists quickly. "Who are you?" She asked, looking around embarrassed.

"Oh, sorry." The girl laughed, making her violet eyes sparkle. I'm Tokiha, Mai. Your roommate."

"O..oh." Natsuki replied, shocked.

"Well, one of them." Mai continued. "Chie! Nao! Guess who this is."

_Someone... save me! _Natsuki thought desperately, trying to find the nearest exit. Then she remembered she needed her key, so it's not like she could go anywhere anyway.

There was a sound of scuffling from across the forum. It was too packed to see anything though. All of a sudden two girls came sprinting out of nowhere, knocking over a few first years in the process.

"Hey!" A random kid yelled.

"Sorry!" The girl with short gray hair called over her shoulder. The two sprinted, luckily stopping just before they would have collided with Natsuki. "Hi. I'm Chie." The girl said, bowing deeply. She waved her hand with a twirl and a blue rose appeared out of nowhere. "For you." She grinned, and handed it to a shocked Natsuki.

"How did...?" Natsuki started.

"It's my power." Chie explained. "I can teleport small objects wherever I want to."

"Oh." Natsuki said, still a little shocked. "Neat." She had to admit that was a pretty awesome power. _I guess she and Mai seem nice enough._

"And I'm Nao." The girl with red hair smirked at her. "I'd show you my power, but you'd wind up paralyzed. Well, for a while anyway."

Natsuki raised her eyebrow and stood up a little straighter, seeing this partially as a threat. "I doubt it."

Nao smirked even more. "Girls got guts."

"Yes she does." Mai said. "Unfortunately Nao's got poisonous _claws_, so let's really not start something here, okay?"

"Claws?" Natsuki smirked. _This school is too weird._

Nao raised her clenched hand, and opened it quickly. Five unnaturally long claws sprung out from her fingers.

Much to Nao's surprise Natsuki didn't wince.

"Nice." Natsuki laughed, eying the claws. "Does it hurt?"

"Nope." Nao replied, grinning. She retracted her claws in one fluid movement.

"Huh." Natsuki grunted. An impatient cough came from behind them. Natsuki turned and stared the girl down into submission before turning back. Nao looked slightly impressed. Mai looked slightly scared. Chie was too busy checking out a grade 9 girl in the next aisle to notice.

"You have anger issues Natsuki-chan." Mai laughed sheepishly.

"No I don't." Natsuki glared. "I just... get annoyed easily."

"Uh huh." Mai smiled. "I am empathic you know, I can tell these things."

"Hmph." Natsuki crossed her arms. "Not that I particularly care, but don't you think we should do this somewhere else?" She followed Mai's gaze to the waiting line of people.

"Oh." Mai winced. "Sorry everyone." She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Tate!" She suddenly screamed.

"What?!" A guy at the table beside her asked. He clearly thought someone was being mass murdered. When he saw Mai, he groaned and tried to turn back.

"Tate!" Mai insisted. "Take over for us will you?"

"Why should I?" He glared, rubbing his head.

Mai pouted and slowly sauntered over to him, her voice suddenly sounding husky. "Please Tate? I'd consider it a _personal_ favor."

At that point Nao and Chie burst out laughing. Natsuki smirked, as Tate went red in the face.

"Who do you think you are, Fujino-san?" He asked, eyebrows raised. Natsuki blinked, startled by the sudden mention of Shizuru's name.

"Aw, come on Tate." Mai whined, dropping the act. "You owe me remember?"

"What!?" Tate roared. "How many times do I have to tell you, I was not starring at your chest!"

Natsuki blinked a few more times, looking back to the long line up. She grinned, when they looked as shocked as she was.

"Oh, okay hentai." Mai smirked.

"I'm not a..."

"Hentai!" Mai yelled.

At this point Chie and Nao had collapsed on top of each other, laughing.

"Okay, okay. Geez, if you stop calling me a pervert I'll take over your table."

"Thanks Tate." Mai said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Okay, Natsuki. I'll grab your stuff and then we can go."

Chie snapped her fingers and the keys and schedule appeared. "Already got them. Let's get out of this mob."

Natsuki certainly wasn't going to argue. Crowds... well... people in general weren't her thing. "Thanks." She mumbled grabbing her schedule. They all started to make their way through the crowd to the ouside.

"Oh, can I see that?" Mai asked.

"I guess." Natsuki passed it to her.

"Math, operations, lunch, science, powers. Huh, you have a different math class then me."

"Oh, is she in mine and Nao's?" Chie asked.

"Yup."

"Yeah." Chie and Nao high-fived each other.

Natsuki smirked. "So what exactly is powers, and operations?"

"Oh, operations is like mission stuff. Like hacking and safe cracking." Chie replied.

"Weapons training." Mai added.

"Spy tactics." Nao added. "Not like Chie needs them."

"Hey!" Chie laughed. "I can always improve. But hey, that reminds me." She snapped her fingers and grabbed the cell phone that appeared in front of her. In one fluid motion the cell phone was open and pointing menacingly in Natsuki's direction.

"This is Chie Harada reporting from Fuuka Academy. Joining us now is the cold beauty Kuga Natsuki, a new student here at Fuuka. So Natsuki, tell us about yourself."

"What are you doing?" Natsuki eyed the phone suspiciously._ Is...Is she recording this?_ "Are you recording this!?" She finally realized, grabbing the phone and deleting the video.

Chie sighed. "Why does no one ever cooperate?" With a snap of her fingers the phone was back in her hands. Thankfully, for both Natsuki and the phone's sake, she put it away.

"So what's powers then?" Natsuki asked Mai, after she was sure the phone was no longer a threat.

"It's a whole class dedicated to physical training. You get like a personal trainer. Well, sort of. They just get the grade 11's or 12's to teach us. It depends on what class you're in. I'm hoping we get the grade 11's though."

Nao snorted. "Yeah cause Retio's in it."

"Reito?" Natsuki asked. _Should I know him?_

All three girls gasped.

"You don't know who Reito is?" Mai asked.

"How refreshing." Nao smirked. "I can't _stop_ knowing thanks to Mai."

"He's only the most popular guy in all of Fuuka." Chie informed Natsuki. "Weren't you at the assembly?"

"For a little bit." Natsuki shrugged. Nao smirked.

"Well, he's vice president of the student council. Everyone thinks Fujino-san and him would make the perfect couple." Mai finished.

Natsuki chocked a little despite herself. "That's wonderful for them." She said angrily after a minute.

Mai looked at her, confused for a moment as they continued to walk. "Are you okay Natsuki?"

"Huh? Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"O..okay. I just got some serious vibes there." Mai laughed sheepishly.

Chie and Nao looked at Natsuki suspiciously.

"I'm fine." Natsuki glared.

"Okay." Mai laughed. "Well, anyway Reito's gorgeous."

"Until he turns into a huge monstrous rock guy." Nao snickered.

"Actually, even then." Mai glared.

"Rock guy?" Natsuki asked, slightly more disturbed then curious.

"Yeah, he's like this huge ripped rock guy." Nao shrugged. "I mean hey, talk about going hard." Nao snickered.

"Nao!" Mai smacked her on the arm, blushing furiously. "Hey Natsuki, what _is_ your power anyway?"

Chie and Nao looked at Natsuki with intrest.

"I can freeze things." Natsuki replied, still smirking from the previous comment.

"Freeze things?" Nao replied, confused.

Natsuki sighed and held up her hand. She concentrated for a moment before forming a thick layer of ice around her hand.

"Hey, cool." Nao laughed.

"Literally." Chie and Mai chimed in.

Natsuki concentrated once again, and the ice evaporated into steam.

Natsuki smirked at Nao. "Are we almost there?" She asked, glancing at the large building ahead of her.

"Yep, our dorm's in there." Chie answered. "Room 31 on floor 2."

They quickly climbed the stairs and walked down the hallway.

"Well this is it." Mai told Natsuki, opening the door with a flourish. Natsuki looked at the room shocked.

"It's big." She said simply, walking in. There was a bed in each corner of the room, a bathroom and even a small kitchen, complete with a fridge and stove.

"Fuuka doesn't skimp." Natsuki laughed, impressed. She still wasn't thrilled with living with three other girls, but they seemed actually pretty nice.

"Looks like your bags got her alright." Chie said, patting a suitcase. She dove onto her bed and whipped out her cellphone.

Natsuki froze. She'd completely forgotten about her luggage. She started breathing again once she'd verified that all bags were there. _Thank God they didn't loose my lingerie collection._

"So, I guess that's my bed?" Natsuki pointed to the one corner of the room not decorated by posters and scattered with clothes.

"Yep."Mai replied, helping her grab her bags. "I can help unpack if you want."

"Nah, that's okay thanks." Natsuki replied quickly. The thought of everyone ogling her lingerie collection was too much to bear.

"Hey guess what guys?" Chie asked excitedly from her corner of the room. She snapped her cellphone shut and sat up on her bed.

"What?" Nao asked, walking out from the bathroom.

"Guess which class we have powers with?" She asked, her eyes sparkling with glee.

Mai's eyes widened. "No!"

"Grade 11's!" Chie screamed, laughing, as Mai tackled her onto the bed.

Natsuki looked slowly over at Nao who returned her disgusted look.

"We have the entire student council in our class!" Mai laughed.

Natsuki gulped. "T..The entire...student council?"

"Yeah, Haruka-san, and Yukino-san." She giggled. "Reito of course. And Kaichou-san."

"F..Fujino-san?" Natsuki dared to clarify.

"Yep." Chie grinned.

"Are you okay?" Mai asked, once again looking suspicious.

"I'm fine." Natsuki growled. She threw her remaining suitcase onto her bed and flopped on herself. Only one thing at this point was certain.

_I should have never come to Fuuka Academy._

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So, here it is.... chapter 2! Thanks to everyone who reviewed my first chapter!!! I really appreciate your support! :D**

**I had fun writing this (especially the ending lol), so I really hope you all like it!**

**Thanks for reading, and please review!!! :D**

**Chapter #2: First Day of School (Part 1)**

* * *

"She really said that!?" Mai turned to Chie, a thrilled look on her face.

"I have it on video if you want." Chie offered, popping her cellphone into her hand.

"Of course you do." Mai grinned.

"Are we planning on getting sleep _anytime_ tonight?" Nao asked from her corner. She was leaning against the wall with a collection of cell phones scattered around her.

"That is an extremely good question." Natsuki nodded, not bothering to mask the extreme boredom in her voice. She was lying down on her bed with her legs and arms crossed defiantly.

"Aw, but Natsuki-chan..." Mai started.

"Ah!" Natsuki raised up her hand angrily before she could say anything more. "What did I tell you about calling me that?!"

Mai sighed. "I don't see what the problem is."

"Evidently." Natsuki glared. "But_ I_ do."

"Geesh." Mai sighed yet again. "It's an affectionate term that..."

"Do I look like someone who appreciates affection?" Natsuki asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know she has a point." Chie nodded from her end.

"Argh. You too?" Mai exclaimed. She flopped onto her bed, finally relenting. "Fine. Fine. _Natsuki_ it is."

"Thank you." Natsuki smirked, lying back down.

"Hey, check this out." Nao smirked. "Unlimited texting till the end of the month." She held up one of the seven cellphones lying beside her.

Natsuki sat up again. "Nao?" She asked stretching her arms.

"Huh?" Nao snapped the cellphone shut.

"How the hell did you get all of those phones?" Natsuki asked, looking at Chie and Mai in confusion.

"...Well... let's just say..." Nao started searching for the right word. She paused for a moment before smirking. "....creatively."

"Uh huh." Natsuki smirked. "I'll bet."

"It's not like I... stole them or anything." Nao scowled at her, looking quite offended.

Natsuki, being Natsuki, and not really caring who she offended, ignored the look and smirked again. "Oh, no. Of _course_ not."

"Can you believe this girl!" Nao exclaimed to Chie and Mai. "The accusations coming from her mouth!!! I would never steal _anything_ from anyone!!!" Halfway through she gave up on the act and smirked evilly in Natsuki's direction. "Oh, by the way, I believe these are yours." She held up a pair of white laced underwear.

Natsuki immediately recognized the underwear from the bottom of page 13 of Victoria Secret's Autumn edition. It was a dramatic moment. Natsuki's eyes widened in surprise then narrowed in fury.

"Y...You!!!" She stuttered, face red with anger.

Nao collapsed with laughter. "That's quite the collection you have there Natsuki. Now hey, I _may_ steal cellphones from creepy old men. At least I don't steal underwear from poor innocent girls!"

Natsuki gaped in pure shock. _What the..._ _Did I __**really**__ just get accused of stealing girl's underwear!?_

"B...Baka!!! Why would anyone steal girl's underwear!?" Natsuki looked desperately from Mai to Chie for support. Mai and Chie however were busy gaping open mouthed in shock.

"You're telling me you really payed for all that lingerie?" Nao grinned, then burst out laughing. "Wow Kuga, you're more insane then I realized. But, hey you know what ever floats your boat."

"I'll float _your_ boat if you don't shut up fast." Natsuki growled, walking towards Nao _very_ slowly. Nao blinked in surprise before smirking once again. She had to admit the girl could be pretty scary when she wanted to be.

Mai blinked. Wow, only Natsuki could pull off growling in public and make it look good. Chie, just now recovering from the shock of her new roommate getting accused of stealing girl's underwear, subtly unfolded her camera phone. With a quiet click of a button the whole scenario would be preserved for an eternity of...

"Chie." Natsuki growled, her eyes never even leaving Nao's corner. "If you even _think_ about recording this..."

"It's gone!" Chie paled, popping her phone safely back inside of her drawer.

"N..Natsuki.." Mai stuttered. "I'm sure Nao didn't mean it like that. Did you Nao?" She raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms at Nao.

"Oh, come on Mai. Even I'm not insane enough to piss her off too much." Nao laughed.

Natsuki paused, crossing her arms for extra effect. "Then I suggest you give me my underwear back."

"It's yours." Nao replied, quickly tossing the pair to Natsuki. Natsuki caught them one handed, her eyes still never leaving the red headed girl.

"Nao?" Natsuki asked, a completely series tone.

"Yes Natsuki?" Nao raised her eyebrows, sensing she wasn't out of danger yet.

"For future reference, stay out of my underwear." She held the glare a few seconds longer then she needed to, before lying back down on her bed.

"It _was_ very nice underwear." Nao mumbled.

"Nao!" Both Mai and Natsuki cried in fury.

"Geesh!" Nao cried, smirking again.

Chie sighed, sensing the moment was over. "That could have made millions." She said sadly to herself.

"Can we please sleep now?" Natsuki asked Mai.

Mai looked over at Natsuki and froze in shock. _Is she pouting? _After a moment Mai laughed, realizing that Natsuki wasn't nearly as cold as she pretended to be.

"Sure Natsuki. It _is_ going to be a long day tommorow." Mai replied.

"Uh huh." Chie nodded, grabbing her pajamas to change into.

"Hey, Natsuki?" Mai asked, folding her clothes. "Are you nervous?"

Natsuki smirked. "No, why would I be?" _ Why would I be? Other than the fact that it's my first day at a new school where everyone's... insane! Well, at least the president of the student council is... The president who also happens to be in one of my classes... for the whole... entire... year. Yeah, why would I __**possibly**__ be nervous!?_

Mai laughed. "Natsuki?"

"What?" Natsuki snapped out of her panicked thoughts.

"Could you try to stop '_not'_ being nervous. I can pick up on it from here." Mai laughed at the look at Natsuki's face when she realized she'd been caught lying. "Don't worry Natsuki. Everything is going to be just fine." Mai smiled reassuringly before getting under her covers.

Natsuki sighed, following suit. Nao turned off the lights, and finally got into bed herself.

A few minutes passed. Natsuki tried not to think about her classes the next day.

A few more minutes passed. Natsuki tried desperately to not think about not thinking about her classes the next day.

A few more minutes passed. It was now 1:32, and Natsuki still couldn't get to sleep.

After another half hour of worried thoughts, Natsuki finally started to drift quietly off. She was just about to fall asleep when....

"Natsuki?!"

"What?!"

"Are you asleep?"

A loud growl echoed throughout the room.

* * *

"Natsuki! **Get** **up**!" Mai yelled for the 11th time. Nao stood leaning casually by the doorway. Chie was waiting patiently beside her, waiting for Mai's inevitable signal.

Mai sighed. "I didn't want to have to resort this Natsuki." She turned solemnly towards her friend and nodded. "Chie?"

With a quiet popping sound Chie's cellphone appeared, and Chie bent over the half-asleep girl's bed.

There were various clicking sounds as Chie began snapping pictures furiously. Natsuki sprung up, shocked.

"Chie!? Mai!" She furiously wiped her face with her hand and glared.

"Hey check it out, you can see the drool in this one." Chie laughed, showing Nao. Nao's cackling could be heard from three doors down.

"What's going on!?" Natsuki demanded, glancing around the room in shock.

"Get dressed right away, and Chie will delete them." Mai promised.

"Mai!" Chie exclaimed. "But...but you can actually _see_ the drool in this one!"

"Chie." Mai said warningly.

Chie sighed. "I feel so used."

Nao patted her shoulder comfortingly.

Natsuki glared at Mai one last time before grabbing her uniform from the red headed girl's hands, and stomping off to the bathroom. It was a good thing she had taken a shower last night. She angrily pulled on her yellow jacket, knee highs, and brown skirt and stormed out of the bathroom.

"...see it's that little glint...just there." Chie said to Mai who was currently bent over her phone.

Natsuki cleared her throat menacingly.

They both looked up, startled, and froze.

"Wow Kuga." Chie raised her eyebrows, and looked Natsuki over.

"Wow." Mai repeated.

"What!?" Natsuki blushed, looking down at her skirt.

"Can we go?" Nao yawned from her spot by the door.

"Wow." Chie repeated again, still looking her over.

"You're so pretty!" Mai laughed at Natsuki's reaction. "Oh, fine. Come on guys, let's go."

"Onward to the cafeteria." Chie nodded, her eyes still firmly planted on Natsuki.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer." Natsuki glared.

"Thanks." Chie grinned, popping an already opened cell phone into her hands. Before Natsuki could even blink she had snapped the photo, closed her phone, and teleported it back into the safe confines of her bag.

"B..baka! I didn't actually mean it!" Natsuki blushed.

"Too late." Chie shrugged. "Come on Mai, let's eat."

And with that, the four girls walked to the cafeteria in the main building.

***

"What is this?" Natsuki asked, looking at the condiment table in shock.

"Huh?" Mai asked, catching up to her. Mai glanced down to see what Natsuki had on her tray; eggs, bacon and toast.

"Th..there's no..." Natuski struggled to get the right words out. Clearly what ever was bothering her was quite serious.

"What's wrong?" Mai frowned, looking immediately concerned. The vibes she was getting off of Natsuki really weren't good.

"But... where's the mayo?" Natsuki asked, looking over the table in a last desperate attempt.

Mai's eyes widened in surprise, and she let out a relieved laugh. This is what had rendered her speechless?

"They don't have any Natsuki." Mai laughed a little. "Sorry."

"B..but...but..." Natsuki stuttered a little. _No mayo!? What is this!? A school for barbarians!!?_

"We can buy our own Natsuki." Mai offered quickly, not wanting to cause a scene.

Natsuki sighed. "I guess you're right." With one last sad look she turned away from the table and began to walk back.

There was a flash of red in her vision, and Natsuki did a double take. On the other side of the cafeteria, sitting down, was Shizuru.

Natsuki froze. Her eyes locked onto the red ones from across the room. Shizuru stared back at her, a look of interest now on her face.

_Is she... looking at me? _Natsuki thought frantically. _Can she even see me from that far away?_

Shizuru inhaled sharply when she looked up. _Ara, I never thought I'd see her so soon. _Natsuki was staring at her, frozen , from across the cafeteria. Shizuru held Natsuki's gaze just long enough to make her uncomfortable. Then, with a small smirk to herself she turned back to Reito.

Natsuki blinked a couple of times, still unable to move. _ Baka. _She told herself. _Why would she be looking at me?_

"Natsuki?" Mai called back over her shoulder. The girl was frozen mid step. "You coming?"

Natsuki blinked in her direction, startled. "Huh? Y..yeah. Sure." She glanced back over in the direction she had been staring in, before flushing quite deeply and walking over.

"We usually just sit over here." Mai informed Natsuki, before walking over to join Chie and Nao at their table. Natsuki followed suit, glancing at the people sitting with them she hadn't met yet.

"Here, shove over guys." Mai gesture to a girl with brown hair and eyes tot move over.

The girl shoved the brown haired guy beside her and giggled. "Move Kazu-kun."

The boy grinned at her before moving over to make room.

"Thanks." Natsuki said, raising her eyebrows a little at the display of affection.

"That's Akane and Kazu." Mai laughed.

"And that sick noise you just heard was me about to vomit." Nao nodded, grinning when Akane tried to whack her from across the table.

"They're dating." Chie explained to Natsuki as she sat down.

"Oh." Natsuki nodded. "Nice to meet you."

"You already know Tate." Mai pointed to the guy from the previous day. He raised his fork in acknowledgement before continuing to furiously eat his eggs.

"And that's Miyu over there." Mai gestured to the pale looking girl with light blue hair at the end.

Miyu nodded in her direction, a very bored look on her face.

Natsuki studied her eyes cautiously. The girl also had red eyes, but they didn't come close to holding the same intensity as Shizuru's. W_hy don't they have the same effect on me? _Natsuki asked herself. _What is it about Shizuru that..._ She sighed, immediately dismissing all thoughts on the matter. _There's nothing special about Shizuru. She just caught you off guard, that's all. _Natsuki told herself. With that, she grabbed her fork and tried to stomach the food without her precious mayonnaise.

After she'd finished her food, Natsuki checked the clock. School started at 8:15, so she still had 20 more minutes. She was still a little hungry, so she decided to go up and get more food.

"Hey, Tate?" Natsuki asked, standing up. "Where'd you get the hash browns from?"

Tate glanced up before swallowing his juice. "They're just over at that table." He pointed. Natsuki followed his gaze, and froze. Just in front of the table was the entire student council, along with some other grade 11s Natsuki didn't recognize.

_Perfect. _Natsuki thought furiously to herself. _Well it's not like I can just not get one now. _Gulping a little, Natsuki started briskly walking across the cafeteria. When she neared Shizuru's table she mentally chanted to herself. _Don't look. Just completely don't look. Do not even acknowledge her existence..._

Natsuki picked up the pace a little as she got within hearing distance.

"I really liked your speech Fujino-sama." A quiet girl's voice could be heard in front of Natsuki. Natsuki rolled her eyes and kept walking ahead. She wanted to see Shizuru's reaction to the compliment, but she knew she'd just wind up completely embarrassed if she glanced over.

"Arigato." Shizuru's laugh rang out from beside her. Natsuki felt her chest tighten a little at the sound. She kept her eyes firmly on the table ahead and finally reached her destination. She grabbed a hash brown and shoved it onto her plate, hands trembling a little.

_Why the hell am I shaking!? _Natsuki mentally scolded herself. _She's not even looking at __me! _

She glanced quickly at the other items on the table. Seeing nothing else that she wanted she started to turn.

"You know those those things are terribly unhealthy." A seductive accent sounded directly beside her. _Not to mention vulgar to eat. _Shizuru thought to herself.

Natsuki's eye's widened. She knew that voice.

Despite the inner voice screaming at her to walk away like she didn't hear, Natsuki turned around. "So?" She replied, trying to use anger to mask the quiver in her voice.

Ruby eyes met emerald, affecting both girls equally. Shizuru, of course would never show it, but something about the girl was uniquely intriguing. _Well, I always did like a challenge. _Shizuru thought to herself as she met the girl's glare evenly. It took her a while to realize the girl was waiting for an answer. _Ara ara, I must be slipping._

"But then again what you put into your body _is_ your choice." Shizuru quickly said.

Natsuki flushed a very deep red. _Was that supposed to sound so dirty?! Baka!_ She scolded herself._ She didn't mean it __**that**__ way!_

Shizuru smirked a little when she realized why Natsuki had suddenly gone so red._ My, I'll have to watch what I say next time._

"Ara, Natsuki's got a dirty mind." She giggled.

So much blood rushed to Natsuki's head she was pretty sure she'd pass out.

"B..baka! That's not what I was thinking!" Natsuki yelled defensively. A few people in the cafeteria glanced over in their direction. Natsuki noticed and stared them down in record time.

"My mistake." She smirked, her red eyes sparkling. Natsuki once again found herself drawn in. She inhaled sharply before looking quickly down at her plate.

"Look, what do you want **kaichou-**san?**" **Natsuki emphasized eyes still firmly on her plate.

"Shizuru." Shizuru insisted, tipping Natsuki's head up slowly to meet her gaze.

Natsuki flushed, and met her eyes with a glare. "I'm leaving." She said after a moment.

"Natsuki!" Shizuru blurted out before she could take a step. _If I can just keep her __talking..._

Natsuki froze, waiting for an explanation. She didn't look happy.

Shizuru opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came to mind. _That's new. _She thought desperately to herself. _Normally I have no problem improvising._

Natsuki glared harder when she didn't speak at all.

"Could you pass me one of those too?" Shizuru blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

Natsuki looked from Shizuru to her plate and back at Shizuru again. _Is she serious?_

Natsuki studied Shizuru's face, eyebrows raised. She looked genuinely as surprised as Natsuki at the words that had just come out of her mouth.

_Ara, not wise Shizuru. You'll have to eat it now. _Shizuru gulped at the thought.

"Here." Natsuki said finally, in an angry tone. "Have mine." She dumped her hash brown onto Shizuru's plate. "I've suddenly lost my appetite."

The shocked look on Shizuru's face startled Natsuki.

"Goodbye." Natsuki finished in a harsh tone. She was about to walk away, but something made her stop. For an instant, before Shizuru regained her calm demeanor she looked... hurt. Natsuki was sure her eyes were deceiving her, but something about the way Shizuru looked at her told her otherwise.

Natsuki hesitated. Why was she acting so mean? "Goodbye..." She repeated quietly, trying to moisten her suddenly dry mouth. "...Shizuru."

That one word gave Shizuru hope. Her smile shone brighter for a moment, until Shizuru realized Natsuki had gone, and she was standing by the table smiling like an idiot.

"Goodbye Natsuki." She whispered, turning and walking back to her table. She was so out of it, she failed to notice the hash brown was still on her plate.

When Shizuru sat down it took her a moment to deduce why Reito was staring at her like she was a complete stranger.

"What is _that_?" Reito asked, shocked. Shizuru followed his gaze to her plate and chocked inwardly. _Nice going Shizuru. _She scolded herself.

Keeping composure, she looked up at Reito and smiled. "Ara, I hear it's good for you to try something new."

Shizuru readjusted her chair, and bravely picked up the hash brown. She timidly took a small bite, careful to keep her composure when her taste buds were viscously assaulted.

"Ara" Shizuru spoke after a moment, swallowing hard. "Perhaps not."

Reito chuckled. "Allow me." He said, grabbing the plate and throwing it into the garbage for her.

"Arigato." Shizuru nodded gratefully. _Never, again. _She told herself mentally. _Not even for Natsuki. _She paused, thinking carefully to herself. _Ara, did I really just do that all for one girl?_

Meanwhile, at the other end of the cafeteria, Natsuki, Chie, Mai, Tate and Nao were getting ready to go to their first class of the day.

"See you later guys." Mai waved, heading in the opposite direction. "Good luck Natsuki." She called over her shoulder.

Natsuki scowled. Her day was not exactly starting off well.

"Come on Natsuki." Chie looped arms with her. "To math we go."

"Shoot me now." Natsuki mumbled, tugging her arm loose quickly.

* * *

"Now, who knows how to factor when we only have two terms?" Sakomizu, their math teacher looked up expectantly. No hands went up.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his afro. "I miss Yukino." He said sadly to himself.

"Well, if we have what is called a perfect square...."

Natsuki groaned, and looked over at Chie. Chie was busy typing away on her cellphone, and didn't notice. Natsuki turned around to look over at Nao. Nao also had two of 'her' cellphones out, and was texting with them too. Natsuki sighed and turned back around. _I need to get a cellphone._ She thought to herself.

Something at the other end of the room caught her eye. She glanced over, only to see a large looking guy stretch out one of his fingers the whole 3 feet it took to reach Tate, and tap him on the head.

Natsuki raised her eyebrows, smirking when Tate turned around and glared. _Now that's __stretchy. _ She laughed to herself.

The bell **finally **went off. Natsuki was the first one out of the room. When Chie and Nao finally caught up with her, they all walked together to their next class: Operations.

* * *

"Hello everyone." Their teacher began. "In operations there won't be much seat work, but when ever there is you can sit where you like."

Natsuki glanced over at Mai, who was currently beside her. Mai grinned, high-fiving Chie. Natsuki grinned, then turned her attention back to the woman at the front.

"My name is Sagisawa Yohko, it's nice to meet you all. As grade 10 students this is your very first year of operations class." The brown haired woman smiled. "I'm sure you've all heard stories about what goes on in operations. Rest assured, everything you will be attempting will be completely hazard free."

Natsuki smirked at Mai, who looked excited beyond words to be in the class.

"Today, as an introductory lesson, we will be learning the fine are of bomb disablement. Again, don't worry, the explosives are not real. However, should you fail to disable your bomb

before the time is up, you will have to write me an essay for next week's class.

"What!?" Natsuki whispered, feeling a little more nervous now. Mai shrugged at her sympathetically.

"Now... step one when dealing with an explosion scenario... who knows what it is?

Natsuki decided, if not for the cool factor alone of being able to disable bombs, she'd better pay attention if she didn't want homework.

* * *

"Natsuki! Do something!" Mai screamed frantically, waving her arms in the direction of their bomb. The timer now read 11 seconds, and it was rapidly climbing down.

"What do you want!?" Natsuki screamed. "I cut the blue wire and nothing happened!"

"All that means is you haven't blown us all up yet!" Mai screamed. "Seven seconds!!! Natsuki!!!"

"What do you want me to do!?" Natsuki screamed.

"Do **something!" **Mai yelled back. Working under pressure was not exactly her forte.

"Three seconds!! Two!!! One!!!"

"Argh!!!" Natsuki screamed, placing her hands on top of the bomb. In less then a second the bomb was coated with ice, water dripping all down the inside of the device. The timer froze at 1 second. Natsuki looked up at Mai, shocked. _What the heck just happened?_

The circuitry on the electric bomb sparked, and the timer flickered a few times, before the screen shorted out.

"Certainly a creative way to stop an explosion." Their teacher laughed, coming up from behind them. "You have no idea how lucky you just got Kuga. Interesting power by the way." She smiled, looking back at the now disarmed bomb.

"Um... thanks?" Natsuki offered, more of a question then a reply.

"Well, technically you managed to stop the bomb from going off. I don't recommend doing that on a real life mission however. You two don't own me an essay." Yohko laughed.

"You might, however, want to use more realistic tactics next time. Don't worry though. We'll be doing this for the rest of the week, so you'll have lots of practice." And with that, she walked over to another group, leaving a very shell-shocked Natsuki and Mai.

"I don't think I can take going through that again." Natsuki said, the color starting to restore to her face.

"Natsuki!" Mai shrieked, grabbing the raven haired girl into one massive hug.

"Eh!?" Natsuki grunted.

"You saved us!" Mai exclaimed, releasing Natsuki to replenish her oxygen. "Thanks so much! You have no idea how much I hate essays."

Natsuki grinned. "Trust me, I do."

"SON OF A.....!!!" A loud beeping noise cut of Nao's scream of frustration.

"I believe you and Hallard owe me an essay, Yuuki." Yohko laughed with glee, before walking over to another group.

Natsuki, seeing the look on their faces, burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

"Oh, shut up!" Nao exclaimed, looking from Natsuki to Mai. Chie just sighed in resignation, and slumped down into her chair.

Only three of the 13 groups had successfully managed to disable the bomb by the end of class. Natsuki and Mai left feeling very satisfied with their performances.

"I'm so hungry." Nao complained, holding her stomach.

"Here." Chie said drawing an apple out of mid air.

"Where'd that come from?" Nao asked looking around.

"The kid who just walked by us." Chie replied.

"Seriously?" Nao smirked.

"No!" Chie laughed, shoving Nao playfully. "It was in my bag." She clarified.

"Oh." Nao replied, thinking that wasn't nearly as fun.

"We're almost at the caf anyway." Mai chimed in. "They have lots of apples there you know.

"Why do you think I just gave Nao mine?" Chie asked grinning.

Nao ignored the comment, and raised up the apple. In one swift movement she drew her claws on her right hand and sliced off a chunk, before popping it into her mouth.

"Doesn't that mix it with the poison?" Natsuki asked, slightly grossed out.

Nao smirked before swallowing her bite. "First of all, there's only poison if I want there to be. Secondly, it's not like it would affect me anyway." She paused, considering. "It might taste a little weird though."

Natsuki grinned, and shook her head before following Mai into the cafeteria.

They all grabbed their food before heading over to their usual table. Natsuki was just about to dig into her (sadly mayo-less) sandwich when something caught her eye. Walking her way was the only and only Kaichou and some teal haired girl she hadn't seen before.

Natsuki watched Shizuru from a distance. She looked absolutely amazing in the school uniform, though her jacket was a lighter color because she was the president. The uniform looked like it made for her form. Natsuki swallowed hard and took a swig of her juice.

"But Shizuru-sama, I really need your help." The girl argued, walking briskly to keep up with Shizuru.

"Ara, I'm truly sorry Marguerite-san. I simply can't attend the tea ceremony this weekend. Please forgive me." Shizuru smiled.

Natsuki couldn't help but smirk. The girl, hearing a noise, glanced over in Natsuki's direction angrily. Natsuki met her glare and raised her eyebrow defiantly.

Shizuru followed the teal haired girl's gaze over to Natsuki. Her eyes took on a mischievous glint, and she smiled warmly at the girl.

Natsuki, still not overly thrilled with Shizuru, simply nodded in acknowledgement.

It was enough to make Shizuru happy, and she continued walking out of the far exit, leaving the girl standing by the doorway.

The girl, looking quite upset, whirled back around and started to storm off. Natsuki smirked at her once more, not really caring if the girl saw her or not.

The girl stopped, a look of fury in her eyes. "Do you have a staring problem?" She hissed at Natsuki, walking right over and staring her down.

Natsuki was a little surprised in the sudden outburst. However, submission definitely wasn't in Natsuki's dictionary.

She titled her head up slowly to meet the girl's gaze, the smirk still clearly displayed on her face.

"Who me?" Natsuki asked, putting her sandwich down slowly.

"Who else?" The girl almost yelled.

"I think you should calm down a little." Natsuki said firmly, adding her own glare into the mix. This seemingly just added to the girl's anger, and the girl took another step closer.

"And I think you should answer the question." The girl said, standing directly over Natsuki, and glaring down at her.

"Do I have a staring problem?" Natsuki clarified. At this point the entire table and even a few surrounding ones were watching the display with horrified expressions on their faces.

"That would be the one." The girl replied, fists tightening slowly.

"You know even if I did..." Natsuki stood up slowly to stare at her straight on. The two were about the same height, but the girl looked like she was going to snap at any second. "I definitely _wouldn't_ be staring at you."

And that was when all hell broke loose. Before anything could do anything Natsuki bent over in pain, crying out in shock. She was holding her side, a look of anguish on her face. The girl standing in front of her hadn't moved a muscle. Natsuki, breathing heavily looked up at the girl from her bent over position.

_What the hell was that!? It felt like someone just stabbed me!_

"Do you like my power?" The girl smirked down at her. "I can make your _entire_ nervous system do that if you'd like."

Natsuki looked up, her face showing pure rage. In one swift move she coated her right fist with a layer of ice.

"Wanna bet?" Natsuki smirked, slamming her fist straight into the girl's face. The ice around her fist shattered with the collision, knocking the girl back into the next table. The girl, still surprisingly conscious got up slowly, then whirled around.

"Natsuki! Stop it!" Mai screamed, getting up quickly and holding her back.

The girl wiped the blood dripping down from her lip, her face contorted with rage. Before anyone could even react, Natsuki screamed, doubling over in pain.

There were gasps from the now increasing crowd.

"Stop it!" Mai screamed, running up to the girl. Everyone else was too stunned to move.

"No." The girl hissed, not taking her eyes of Natsuki. Natsuki writhed in pain on the ground, trying to get up.

"Stop it now!" Mai screamed, shaking the girl furiously.

"No!" The girl yelled, concentrating harder. Natsuki collapsed again, screaming in pain. She felt like she was on fire. Never had she been through anything like this.

"Move." A commanding voice came from behind the crowd. The crowd scattered, and a someone shoved their way through.

Natsuki struggled to see what was going on, her vision darkening because of the pain. _S..Shizuru? _Natsuki thought. _Why is she here?_

Shizuru stormed through the crowd, freezing only when she saw Natsuki on the ground. The girl was writhing in pain, with an unbearable look on her face. Shizuru snapped out off it quickly and turned to Tomoe.

She turned the girls face to hers, locking their eyes. "Stop." She commanded, staring into the girl's eyes.

Natsuki immediately felt the pain start to subside. She lay, shaking uncontrollably on the cafeteria floor.

"Sit down and wait for further instruction." She told the girl, not breaking eye contact. Natsuki noticed an almost vacant expression on the girl's face. Natsuki was surprised when the girl turned, sat down and stared blankly off into space.

Natsuki's body seared with dulling pain. She tried to stop the shaking, but everything hurt so much she could barely think. Suddenly, she felt a soft hand turn her head to the side.

When her vision cleared she was staring directly in Shizuru's startling eyes.

"Sh...Shizuru?" Natsuki whimpered.

Shizuru held her gaze, and Natsuki felt a weird tingling sensation come over her.

"You do not feel any pain." Shizuru told Natsuki softly. Almost as if it was magic, the pain dissipated instantly. Shizuru let her hand slid gently of Natsuki's cheek. Natsuki was still left shaking due to the over exertion, but she was able to sit up.

"H...How did you do that?" Natsuki asked Shizuru, still staring into her eyes.

"I don't like using my power." Shizuru replied softly. "But this seemed to be a worthy cause."

"Y..you can..." Natsuki searched for the right word. "...control people... and their feelings?" _That's an insane amount of power. _Natsuki thought to herself.

"...In a way." Shizuru replied, still crouching over her. "Like I said, I don't use it often."

Natsuki tried to stand up, using the table behind her for support. She got halfway up before her legs gave out. Suddenly, a pair of arms encircled her, and helped her get into a standing position.

"You don't need to be so impatient." Shizuru said in an amused tone. She placed Natsuki's arm over her shoulder, and supported some of Natsuki's weight with her the arm she wrapped around her side. "Shall we go then..." She whispered. "... Na-tsu-ki?"

She walked slowly with Natsuki, trying softly to stop her trembling. Natsuki blushed at the extremely close contact, but she was definitely grateful for Shizuru's assistance. Not that that stopped her from glaring at the entire cafeteria on the way out.

"You..." Shizuru said, glancing in Tomoe's direction. "...Follow me."

The girl got up silently, following behind. As they slowly made there way to the Student council office, Natsuki contemplated to herself. She had probably been through one of the most traumatic experiences in her life. So why was it that she felt so safe?

* * *

Thanks for reading! Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Lol, wow, it took me way too long to finish Chapter 3. It is now 4:01 A.M. (I wish I was kidding), and I have finally finished! :D Hopefully it still came out okay (if not I plead sleep deprivation )! I hope you like it. Thanks again for all the reviews guys! They really do inspire me to keep writing (up to 4 AM at night, lol)! **

**Chapter # 3: First Day of School (Part 2)**

**

* * *

**

Natsuki and Shizuru finally reached the student council room a few minutes later. Tomoe followed behind, a look of shock now on her face. Shizuru opened the door and helped Natsuki inside.

Natsuki glanced over at the only occupant of the room. She vaguely recognized him as one one of the guys sitting at Shizuru's table that morning.

He glanced up from the papers scattered over his desk. A look of confusion crossed his face, but he stood up quickly and walked their way.

"Here, allow me." He nodded his head to Shizuru. Much to Natsuki's surprise, (and ultimately annoyance) he eased Natsuki towards the nearest chair.

"I'm fine." Natsuki scowled, yanking her arm away and sitting down herself.

"Mind telling me what happened?" The dark haired boy asked, eyes drifting from Shizuru to the teal-haired girl trailing behind her.

Shizuru sighed softly, walking to the far side of the room and leaning casually next to the window. Tomoe followed her, standing beside her at the wall. Shizuru studied her warily. Sure the girl was very single minded, but had she completely missed the fact that the girl was that close to snapping? Tomoe had never resorted to violence in the past. The girl _had_ been one of her more insistent admirers, but Shizuru had never seen this coming.

"Ara, I would Reito-san. If I had even the slightest idea myself."

Natsuki's eyes narrowed at the name. _So this is Reito? _She didn't see what was so special about him. To her he just looked like another twelfth grade guy.

"Perhaps you two would have some insight on the manner?" Shizuru turned to Natsuki when she spoke. Tomoe's side of the story didn't hold much credit with her, considering the state she'd found Natsuki in.

"I'll tell you what happened." Natsuki growled, glaring at the girl beside Shizuru. "That girl's completely insane! She totally just had...like a mental break down or _something_!_"_

Shizuru raised her eyebrows in mild interest, turning to Tomoe. "Perhaps Marguerite-san would like to start from the beginning."

The girl just shook her head, face bowed in shame.

Natsuki smirked. _Oh,_ _yeah, now she's sorry! Now that her precious 'Shizuru-sama' had to tell her off._

"Well, someone has to tell us what happened or we'll be here quite a while." Reito said, looking at Natsuki expectantly.

"Fine." Natsuki barked. "The first thing I remember is Shizuru and that girl walking past my table. The were... talking about tea or something. I don't know. Anyway, the girl sounded downright _pitiful_, I laughed at her, and then the next thing I knew, my skins practically on fire!"

"You did nothing other then laugh?" Shizuru asked, locking eyes with Natsuki from across the room.

Natsuki felt her face heat up a little, and she looked away quickly.

"She attacked me first." Natsuki insisted, the tone in her voice leaving no room for questioning.

"S..she hit me." Tomoe said quietly, touching the bleeding cut on her face.

"Is that true?" Reito asked, staring at Natsuki accusingly.

Natsuki glared at him and turned to Shizuru to defend herself.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru asked, taking a step towards the navy haired girl.

"She attacked me first." Natsuki repeated. "Look, everyone saw. They can confirm it."

"What?!" Tomoe asked, suddenly looking panicked. "But... that's not true! Shizuru!" She turned to the brown haired girl, who gave her an appraising look. "One minute I was talking with her. The next minute... she just screamed, and bent down. I asked her if she liked my power, because I presumed she knew of it, and she was faking that I had hurt her. I admit, I was terribly surprised when she hit me... and so hard too..."

Natsuki watched, speechless in her chair as the girl bowed her head once again in 'shame'.

"...I...I admit I acted badly. But she even pretended that I had hurt her so she'd have a reason to hit me. And... I just.... it hurt so much, and I got so angry. But, Shizuru-sama, I swear I didn't mean to hurt anyone." The girl looked up again, a pleading look in her eyes.

That was it. Natsuki had had enough of this. _I'm going to kill her! _ She furiously thought. "That is **such** complete **shi**..."

"Language, language." Retio cut Natsuki off, an amused look on his face.

"Oh, screw you." Natsuki glared at him. "You can't tell me you actually believe this!" Natsuki exclaimed, looking from Reito to Shizuru. Her emotions were a mix of rage and panic. Natsuki **really** didn't need to get blamed for starting a fight the very first day of school.

Shizuru paused, studying Natsuki's face. The girl was too controlled by her rage. She wouldn't be able to tell a lie like this convincingly. Tomoe however, daughter to a long line of aristocrats no doubt possessed some natural ability.

"One of you is lying." Shizuru said calmly, leaning back on the wall. "Which ever one of you that may be, I strongly recommend being rather forthcoming. As you are both aware I have my own methods of discerning which one of you is... _mistaken_."

Natsuki raised her eyebrows, relief flooding through her. She was impressed. Shizuru could be quite scary when she wanted to be. Natsuki turned to Tomoe who paled in a second. Obviously the girl hadn't thought things through.

With a smirk, Natsuki leaned back into her chair. She was extremely glad Shizuru was here.

_Ara, it seems I was correct. _Shizuru thought, trying not to laugh at the satisfied look on Natsuki's face. _However, it's not like I can let either of them get off without punishment. _Shizuru glanced over at Natsuki once more, feeling guilty. The girl had obviously been quite traumatized by the experience. Shizuru really didn't want to be the one to punish her. And just when it seemed the girl was starting to warm up to her... well maybe warm up wasn't _exactly_ the right phrase.

"If I may..." Reito began, walking over to the nearest desk and leaning on it casually. Natsuki smirked. The movement looked way to forced. "...I have another alternative."

Shizuru glanced over at Reito, not allowing herself to be too hopeful.

"Neither of you girls can claim full innocence..." He began. "... fighting in school is a serious offense. However, since it _is_ the first day of school... if of course, Shizuru agrees... we may be able to overlook this incident. It would allow both of you to have a fresh start. Though take care to note we won't be this forgiving in the future."

"What!?" Natsuki exclaimed furiously. "Aren't you going to punish her!?"

"Ara, Reito-san?" Shizuru cut Natsuki off before she could continue. "Do you suppose you could give Kuga-san and I a minute alone?"

Natsuki paled as soon as the words left her mouth. Shizuru wanted to talk to her alone?

Reito paused, looking at Shizuru questioningly. Shizuru met his gaze like it was a typical question.

"Of course." He replied after a moment. With a bow he walked out of the room, and closed the door behind him.

Shizuru turned to Tomoe and looked into her eyes. "You may stop following me now." With that she broke eye contact. "Would you wait outside too, Marguerite-san?"

Tomoe bowed nervously before shuffling out of the room. Natsuki almost wanted her to stay so she wouldn't have to be alone with Shizuru. She'd never admit it, but Shizuru intimidated her even before she knew how powerful she was.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Natsuki asked, crossing her arms and legs. She was annoyed to notice she was still trembling a little, but she'd never admit it might be for a different reason at that point.

"Natsuki." Shizuru walked up to her. "Take Reito-san up on his offer."

"What!? Why would I do that?" Natsuki scowled, shocked at what Shizuru was asking her. "You know she's lying."

"If you don't agree to it, you'll both be punished." Shizuru continued, realizing the possibly that her argument would be pointless. "Even if she did start the fight..."

"She did!" Natsuki cut her off with a glare. "Look, order me to tell you the truth if you don't believe me."

"I _do_ believe you." Shizuru said firmly. "But Natsuki, this will go on your permanent record. Not to mention the possible consequences from embarrassing the daughter of a _very_ influential family."

"Shizuru! I don't care!" Natsuki yelled. "She deserves to be punished! You saw what she did to me!"

"Natsuki." Shizuru whispered, placing her hand on the younger girl's check. Natsuki blushed at the touch, and jerked her head away quickly.

"Don't." She warned.

"Natsuki!" Shizuru raised her voice a little. "I only want what's best for you. I want her to be punished too, but you don't understand the possible results this could have on your future. The Marguerite family could affect your placement, your rank..."

"I don't care!" Natsuki yelled, fuming with anger. "She should get what she deserves."

"And what does she deserve?" Shizuru asked her quietly. "Natsuki you _did_ push her into attacking you."

"Yeah, and if she had actually had the guts to fight me fairly, I would have kicked her ass too!" Natsuki glared.

"She has two years of training that you currently lack." Shizuru sighed, brushing her hair back in an exasperated motion.

"Trust me on this one." Natsuki smirked.

"It doesn't matter either way." Shizuru said quickly, turning away. Natsuki paused, watching her curiously. Shizuru seemed genuinely concerned. Why did she care so much about what happened to her?

"It matters to me." Natsuki argued.

"Natsuki, please." Shizuru turned back around. "Please, would you trust me?" Her eyes met Natsuki's with a quiet plea. For a moment Natsuki could see past her calm demeanor and into the uncertainty that lay behind it.

Natsuki's face softened. "Why do you care?" She asked quietly, studying the older girl's face. She noticed Shizuru's brief hesitation.

Shizuru paused to herself. She was startled to hear the very question she'd been asking herself come from the girl in front of her. _That's what I'd like to know. _She thought to herself. Instead, she smiled at the blue haired girl sitting before her.

"Ara, I'm the president. It's my job to care about all of my students."

"I'm not your student." Natsuki blushed.

Shizuru smiled softly at the girl's defensive behavior. "I suppose not." Her voice took on a more serious tone. "So, Natsuki... will you to change your decision?"

"My decision hasn't changed." Natsuki replied, sounding a little annoyed.

"That is not a wise choice." Shizuru said softly, her voice taking on a warning tone.

"I'm not that wise." Natsuki shrugged.

Shizuru hesitated. _Perhaps it's better just to stay out of this. _ _It is her choice... _ So why did she feel like she had to make it for her?

She slowly walked over to Natsuki, and crouched down in front of her. She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Natsuki had stunning features one couldn't help but appreciate. The younger girl sat back in her chair, her face flushing softly. Shizuru, sensing the girl's discomfort, leaned back slightly to give her more room. _Do I make her that nervous?_

"Natsuki please..." Shizuru began.

Natsuki glanced down at the floor. She was too uncomfortable to look Shizuru in the face. _Does she really need to get this close? _She could feel the heat from her blush, and it embarrassed her even more then she already was. _Why does Shizuru make me this nervous? I don't act like this around anyone else. _Natsuki raised her gaze to meet the Kaichou's for a moment. That's when she realized Shizuru was staring her in the eyes. The exact same way she had before she'd use her power the first time. _Is...is she using her power on me!?_

Natsuki jumped up from her chair, shoving it back noisily. Shizuru looked up, startled.

"Are you using your power on me!?" Natsuki yelled, careful not to make eye contact.

"What!?" Shizuru exclaimed. She was shocked almost beyond words, an occurrence that almost never happened when she was concerned. She hadn't seen that one coming. _Is that why you were acting so nervous? _"Natsuki I would never! Not without your consent!"

Natsuki risked a glance in the brown haired girl's direction, and paused. Shizuru looked shocked, and even slightly angry at the suggestion.

"Well... but... you were looking into my eyes and telling me to accept!" Natsuki exclaimed.

"Natsuki!" Shizuru replied, laughing out of shock. "I can look someone in the eyes _without_ using my power."

"How do I know that's true?" Natsuki raised an eyebrow at Shizuru, crossing her arms.

Shizuru locked eyes with Natsuki before she could look away, a mildly amused look on her face. "Kiss me." She smirked.

Natsuki's eyes widened in shock. "W..what!?"

"Do you believe me now?" Shizuru laughed.

"B..baka!" Natsuki stuttered, now furiously red. "What if it had actually worked!?"

"A pleasant surprise?" Shizuru offered, laughing at the look that followed. When Natsuki's blush died down, she regained some self-control. She managed to stop her laughing, and looked back at Natsuki with her usual smile. "Natsuki, trust me. I would never make you do something against your will." Shizuru tried her best to relay her sincerity. "I understand a power like mine can make people... uncomfortable."

Natsuki's glare softened against her will. "I..I'm sorry... I guess that was kinda uncalled for, huh?" She asked sheepishly. _Oh, good one as usual Natsuki. Way to completely offend her entire sense of honor._

Shizuru smiled softly. "Ara, don't worry. I'm quite used to it by now." _Just not from you. _ She thought to herself. Why did it all sound so different when it came from this girl?

Natsuki could detect a hint of sadness behind her voice. _She must get asked a lot. _Natsuki thought to herself. _It must be lonely. To have so much power that some people can't... won't trust you. _

"Are you okay Natsuki?" Shizuru asked. The girl had suddenly gone very quiet.

"I'm fine." Natsuki laughed, realizing what a ridiculous thought it was for Shizuru to be lonely. She had so many fans it was almost sickening.

Shizuru glanced up at the clock. "Ara, we're running out of time."

"I've already decided." Natsuki sighed. "I'm not taking the offer." _That girl's going to get what she deserves._

"...Natsuki..." Shizuru started, suddenly getting an idea. It was a long shot, but she may as well try. "...what grade are you in?"

"And this is relevant... how?" Natsuki asked her. _Oh God, this is embarrassing. When she finds out I'm new and a grade 10 she's going to laugh._

"Please answer the question?" Shizuru asked, waiting for a reply.

Natsuki sighed. "Grade 10." _Happy now?!_

"Really?" Shizuru asked, suddenly excited. Natsuki was shocked to realize Shizuru actually looked happily surprised.

"Why?" Natsuki asked, confused. _She doesn't think it's embarrassing that I got my powers late?_

"Let's make a deal, Na-tsu-ki." Shizuru said, her voice suddenly turning very husky. Natsuki gulped. Shizuru was suddenly way too confident for her liking.

"A deal?" Natsuki repeated.

"A deal." Shizuru nodded. "Take Reito-san up on his most generous offer, and..." She paused for dramatic effect. "...I'll agree to partner with you for your powers class this year."

"What!?" Natsuki asked, shocked. She didn't know any other grade elevens, but she didn't exactly feel to comfortable around the one she did know. "Are you kidding me?" She asked, looking at Shizuru like she had lost her mind.

"Ara, I would never joke about something as serious as this." Shizuru replied.

"I think I'll find my own partner thanks." Natsuki informed her. _Does she really think I'll partner with her after everything she puts me through? A person can only blush so many times in one day._

"But Natsuki, you need someone who can help you get caught up, do you not? Hand to hand combat doesn't teach itself." Shizuru replied. _This just may work. If I can appeal to Natsuki's naturally violent side, perhaps we can work something out._

"Self defense?" Natsuki smirked, taking another glance at Shizuru's fragile appearance. "Please, Shizuru. I could beat you up in ten seconds flat."

Shizuru pouted playfully, making Natsuki blush slightly. "I wouldn't let Reito-san hear you say that Natsuki. I beat him and four friends in last year's demonstration. Of course in the one on one rounds I beat _all_ of my class."

Natsuki blinked. Was this girl for real? "You really expect me to believe you were the best in your class at hand to hand combat?" She asked.

Shizuru smirked. "I really don't know how I'm supposed to prove it to you." She laughed. "I promise you Natsuki, I'll train you to the best of my ability."

Natsuki studied her face, still not entirely sure what to believe. "I appreciate it Shizuru, but honestly, I think I'd like to pick my own partner."

Shizuru sighed, still pretty confident she'd win Natsuki over. No one had successfully turned her down yet... not that anyone had ever tried to before.

"Alright Natsuki. So be it. But don't say I didn't warn you after your first powers sparring match. You know, the one where Natsuki will probably find herself stuck to the floor with one of Kaito's adhesive slime balls." Shizuru raised her eyebrows at Natsuki, who suddenly seemed to loose some color in her face.

"S...slime...balls?" Natsuki gulped. On second thought, maybe it was better to go with a power she new. One that wouldn't involve gobs of slime flying at her.

"Natsuki, I'm very well trained. I really _could_ help you learn." Shizuru told Natsuki truthfully. She wasn't the best in her class for nothing. Having a power that required her to look someone directly in the eyes during the middle of a fight required her to get a little creative at times.

Natsuki studied Shizuru's face in contemplation. Shizuru was offering to help her learn self-defense. And why? So that Natsuki would make what she believed was the right decision for herself? Shizuru had done nothing but try to help her, and Natsuki had done nothing but treat her with suspicion.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Natsuki asked her, honestly unsure. "You have so many fans and everything, but you'd partner with me?"

_Ara, what and innocent girl. _Shizuru laughed to herself. _Don't worry Natsuki, I'm offering to partner with you for __**my**__ sake as much as yours._

"You've intrigued my interest." Shizuru laughed. "Besides, like I said, it _is_ my job."

Natsuki blushed a little. Did Shizuru know how pretty she looked when she laughed? _Baka. _Natsuki scolded herself. _What are you thinking?_

Natsuki hesitated. Something about Shizuru was just so... unusual. It wasn't just the way she acted, it was the way Natsuki acted in response to her. She never used to blush at her old high school, but this girl could light up her face like it was nothing at all. Natsuki watched Shizuru lean back on a desk, smirking at the now growing blush on her face. Her dark red eyes sparkled like nothing she had ever seen.

"Shizuru..." Natsuki found herself nervously saying. "I think..." She paused, taking a deep breath. "I think I would like it... to be your partner."

Shizuru laughter faded as she looked at Natsuki seriously. "Arigato, Natsuki." Shizuru was a little surprised the girl had accepted so easily. She smiled softly at the younger girl, holding her gaze for longer then necessary. _You are a complete mystery to me Natsuki... _ ..._One I'm sure I'll take great pleasure in solving._

"Shall I call them back in?" She asked, glancing towards the door.

Natsuki paused, before looking up at Shizuru. "I _will_ get Tomoe back for she did to me." She promised. "This won't stop that from happening."

Shizuru didn't doubt it for a second. She just hoped Natsuki wouldn't get herself hurt herself in the process. _At least I have all year to convince you otherwise. _Without saying a word, Shizuru walked over and opened the door.

She nodded to Reito, then held the door as he and Tomoe walked in. Natsuki smirked at the look on her face. The girl looked even more pale then before. No doubt she'd been playing worst case scenarios over in her head while waiting. Reito looked relieved to finally be let into the room. Natsuki glanced at the clock. Lunch _was_ almost over. She hadn't realized she and Shizuru had been talking for so long.

"Have we come to a decision?" Reito asked, looking from Natsuki to Shizuru.

"**I** have." Natsuki glared. What did Mai see in this guy? He would never go well with Shizuru!

"And?" Reito asked, ignoring her glare.

Natsuki turned to look Tomoe right in the eyes. The girl looked back at her, terrified at what she would say. Not only would she get suspended, she would get caught in an outright lie.

Natsuki held her gaze, emphasizing the satisfied smirk on her face. The girl looked frantically from Natsuki to Shizuru. Shizuru met her gaze with a calm smile to be interpreted which ever way she pleased.

"I'm taking the offer." Natsuki finally said. The look of relief on Tomoe's face made Natsuki sick. She immediately felt a pang of regret. Had she made the right choice?

"And you?" Reito asked Tomoe.

Tomoe sighed like it didn't really matter to her. "... I guess."

Shizuru raised an eyebrow in Natsuki's direction.

Natsuki managed to restrain herself from attacking her right there. Admittedly, the memory of what happened the last time she did attack also helped out a bit.

"Well then, looks like we're done here." Reito concluded. "If you'll excuse me ladies." He bowed before walking out of the room.

Tomoe tried to follow him, but Shizuru stopped her.

"Marguerite-san?" She called out, crossing her legs while leaning on the far wall. "May I have a word?"

Tomoe froze, unsure of what to think. Natsuki stopped too, was she supposed to leave Shizuru alone with that maniac? Natsuki glanced at Shizuru questioningly. With a hint of a smile on her lips, Shizuru nodded gently for Natsuki to leave.

With one last warning glare in Tomoe's direction, Natsuki swiftly walked out of the room.

Shizuru regarded Tomoe warily, wondering how she should phrase what she wanted to say.

"Yes Shizuru-sama?" Tomoe asked, still looking a little nerrvous.

"You understand of course that this was an extreme case..." Shizuru began, still leaning on the wall casually. "If you _ever_ were to participate in something like this again, I would naturally be _forced_ to take action." There was a silent warning behind the look in Shizuru's eyes.

"Y..yes. Of course Shizuru-sama." She stuttered in response.

"So then you understand that if I hear from Kuga-san that you've been bothering her... there _will_ be consequences. Do you not?" Shizuru clarified. _Severe consequences._

"Yes Shizuru-sama. I understand." The girl nodded slowly.

"Do you?" Shizuru asked, locking eyes with the girl. Before the girl could answer Shizuru calmly walked out, leaving her standing there. Tomoe started, unsure of what had just happened. After a few seconds had passed, she followed suit, walking out and down the hallway.

* * *

Natsuki returned to the cafeteria with 8 minutes to spare. Half the cafeteria looked up in shock when she walked in. Natsuki shot a glare at who ever looked her way, and slowly made her way back to the table.

"Natsuki!?" Mai cried when she got close enough to be noticed. "Natsuki, thank God! What happened?! Did you get suspended?"

Natsuki smirked and casually sat down at the spot offered to her. "I'm fine Mai, and nope, no suspension." She replied, glancing down at the table. Her half eaten sandwich was still there, not that she had much of an appetite left.

"You didn't get in trouble?" Nao asked, eyebrows raised. "Impressive. How'd that happen?"

Natsuki sighed, wondering the same thing herself. "I... kind of made a deal with Shizuru."

"Shizuru?" Mai asked. "You mean Kaichou-san?"

"Yeah, whatever." Natsuki sighed. "Anyway, the deal was neither of us get in trouble, but Shizuru's my partner for our power's class."

Everyone at the table blinked in shock.

"And this was your deal?" Chie clarified, looking at Natsuki in complete and utter amazement.

"Yep." Natsuki concluded, drumming her fingers on the table impatiently. _Why is everyone staring at me?_

Chie bowed from her end of the table. "Teach me everything you know, I beg of you!"

Natsuki smirked, slightly weirded out. "What!?"

"You got _Kaichou_-san to be your partner?" Mai gaped. "...As in for the whole year?"

Natsuki shrugged. "Well she told me it would be in my best interest not to have Tomoe punished, cause her family's really powerful. So, in exchange for me agreeing to let the topic drop, she said she'd partner with me and teach me hand to hand combat. I was kind of hesitant at first, but then she starting telling me about some...slime guy I could get instead..." Natsuki made a disturbed face. "...So, yeah I figured better safe then sorry."

No one stopped gaping.

"So, tell me guys." Natsuki started. "Is she really the best in her class for combat? Cause seriously, have you seen her? She's definitely _not_ the combat type." Natsuki laughed.

And still, they gaped. Even Nao showed signs of mild interest.

"Best in her class?" Chie laughed. "Try best in the school... well second best cause there was that guy last year..." She started, turning to Mai for confirmation.

"Oh, yeah but he graduated." Mai nodded.

"That would be a yes then. Best in the school." Chie grinned. "Seriously Kuga, how did you manage that one?"

"It wasn't me!" Natsuki growled. "Geez, _she_ was the one who was so insistent about it."

Mai and Chie exchanged looks from across the table.

The bell signaling the end of lunch (and Natsuki's interrogation) went off, and finally the gaping was forced to come to an end.

Chie, Mai, Nao and Natsuki headed off to their third floor science room.

* * *

"Hello everyone." The blue eyed woman smiled gently. "My name is Sanada Yukariko, it's nice to see so many new faces." She laughed, writing her name on the board. "This is grade 10 science, I presume you're all in the right class. I also presume you're all already following the seating arrangement on the board." When no one moved to get up she continued. "Okay, good. So, I'm going to start by handing out textbooks to everyone..."

"Psst. Natsuki." Chie called from the back of the room. Chie held up a folded piece of paper in her hand. The paper suddenly disappeared, and Chie gestured frantically for Natsuki to turn around. When Natsuki turned the paper was waiting for her on he desk. Natsuki turned back to Chie and grinned before grabbing the paper and opening it.

It took her a moment to register everything, then it took all of her self-control from snickering madly in the middle of class. The words: 'from Jiro' were written on the top of the page. Beneath the words was a picture of Natsuki and Tomoe in the cafeteria. It nearly scared Natsuki into dropping the paper when the picture had started moving. It showed Natsuki with a bubble over her head saying "Wanna bet?" Then the comic Natsuki coated her hand with ice and punched the comic Tomoe in the face. The comic Tomoe's eyes bulged out ,and she went flying to the other end of the page. The comic reset then from the beginning and repeated over and over again.

Natsuki watched it in awe for a few times, before turning back to Chie with a huge grin on her face. Chie pointed in the direction of a boy in their class who smiled at Natsuki and gave a little wave. Natsuki grinned and mouthed her thanks to him. When she turned back around there was another note waiting for her.

She picked it up, and read the inside. The words 'He's so into you' were written on the paper scrap. Natsuki whirled around and glared at Chie who just shrugged and grinned.

When their science class ended everyone regrouped in the hallway.

"So, are you excited for your very first powers class?" Mai asked. Nao snickered at the animated comic, then snickered even more when she read the second note from Chie.

"Shut up." Natsuki growled, grabbing her picture back. She safely pocketed it, before continuing. "Sorry Mai, what did you say?" Natsuki asked, turning to Mai.

"It's your first powers class." Mai repeated. "Aren't you excited?!"

Natsuki paused, thinking. Her heart _was_ beating awfully fast. "No." She quickly laughed, crossing her arms. "Who gets excited for school? Honestly Mai."

"People get excited for _our_ school." Mai argued. "And I know lots of people who'd get excited if _they_ had a private hand to hand combat session with Fujino-san."

Natsuki just looked at her like she was insane and kept on walking. Her stomach tightened into a knot.

"Hm? Nervous again?" Mai asked.

"No." Natsuki glared defensively. "Some empath you are."

Mai grinned, seeing right through her friend. "Powers is usually a pretty fun class." She offered. "...Well, if you do manage to get a non-slimy partner." Natsuki grinned, shaking her head.

"Well, this is it." Chie announced, checking her schedule with the room number once more for good measure. She held open the door for Mai with a flourish and waited for Natsuki to walk in.

"Ah, you know what?" Natsuki laughed nervously. "I'll be there in a minute."

"O..Okay." Chie replied, stepping into the room and closing the door.

Natsuki let out the breath she had been holding. She turned around and leaned on the wall beside the door. _Come on Natsuki. _She told herself. _There's no reason why you should be nervous. It's just another class._ Natsuki took another deep breath, before getting off the wall and facing the door. She was just reaching for the handle when a pair of arm brushed smoothly against her sides, wrapping around her tightly.

"Ara." A seductive voice breathed into her ear. "Going in?"

* * *

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Here you go... Chapter 4. :D This chapter is officially dedicated to Aud8 who made the most amazing artwork for the end of Chapter 2!!! Seriously guys you have to check it out! You can get to it by linking to Aud8's profile (.net/u/392490/Aud8) and clicking the deviantart account link! Lol, it's so cool, I'm entirely in awe! Thanks once again!**

**Thanks again guys for all your awesome reviews! They're one of the main reasons why I update so fast lol! :D I hope you enjoy this chapter!!!**

**Chapter 4: Hand to Hand Combat**

* * *

Natsuki took another deep breath, before getting off the wall and facing the door. She was just reaching for the handle when a pair of arms encircled her slowly, brushing smoothly against her sides on the way.

"Ara." A seductive voice breathed into her ear. "Going in?"

* * *

Natsuki inhaled sharply, her face turning red. Shizuru heard the younger girl's gasp, and couldn't help but smirk quietly to herself. Shizuru gently eased her head onto the navy haired girl's shoulder, pulling her close and inhaling her scent.

Natsuki, finally realizing what was happening, turned her head angrily to the side and grabbed Shizuru's arms. Her cheek collided softly with Shizuru's, earning a giggle from the taller girl.

"Sh...Shizuru! What are you doing?!" Natsuki tried to shove Shizuru's hands off quickly. Shizuru let her hands slide around to Natsuki's back before finally letting go. She raised her eyebrows in appreciation. The younger girl's stomach was _very _well toned.

"Ara, saying hello. Is something wrong Natsuki?" Shizuru asked innocently, trying not to squeal in delight at the blush on Natsuki's face when she whirled quickly around.

"Who says hello like that?!" Natsuki glared, well aware of the blush on her face. Why was is suddenly so hard to breathe? "Geez, it's called personal space you know." _This girl's insane!_

"It appears I don't know what you're talking about." Shizuru continued in an over-emphasized accent, giving Natsuki her best playfully oblivious look. "Are you sure you're feeling well Natsuki? Your face looks _terribly_ flushed." Shizuru finished with a step towards the younger girl, the corners of her mouth turning up in a mischievous grin.

"Oh, shut up Shizuru." Natsuki grumbled, fumbling with the door as she tried to open it. She quickly entered into the safety of the well populated room. Shizuru grinned and followed behind her.

Natsuki glanced at the inside of the room. The floor was entirely covered with blue padding, and divided into separate sections by painted white lines. Natsuki glanced over at the far corner where Mai waved her over. With a nod, Natsuki headed over and sat down beside her.

She glanced over her shoulder to watch Shizuru sit down beside Reito. Some grade 10 girls Natsuki didn't know giggled an sat down beside her. Shizuru smiled at them. She adjusted her position so her legs were outstretched and crossed in front of her, with her arms supporting her weight behind her. Natsuki rolled her eyes at the girls and turned to face the front.

The door at the other end of the room suddenly opened, and in walked a red-headed woman wearing green track pants and a t-shirt. The woman yawned noisily and walked up to the front. When she had finally finished stretching she opened her eyes to examine the class.

She grinned down at the startled grade 10s and 11s. "Welcome to your very first powers class of the year students! I'm Midori, and I'll be teaching you this year... Well... I suppose thats a bit of an over statement." She chuckled. "Grade 10's will mostly be learning from grade 11's, and I'll just be here to boss you all around." She glanced at her class with an expectant look on her face. Blank faces stared back up at her.

"Well...what are you all waiting for?" Midori asked. "Go get your uniforms on!"

Everyone hurried off to the change rooms on the right. Natsuki, who had absolutely no clue where to go, followed everyone else.

When she walked into the girl's room everyone already had their FANG (Fuuka Academy for the Naturally Gifted) t-shirts and shorts out. The t-shirts were beige, with brown sleeve tips, and the word FANG spelled out in large brown letters on the front.

The shorts were mostly brown, with a beige strip extending down from the right and left hips. The word FANG was spelled out once again, in small letters on the right hand side. Natsuki grabbed her uniform from her bag and glanced around the room. There were a few showers on the far end, but other then that nowhere private to change.

Groaning mentally to herself, Natsuki took her jacket off, shoved it in her bag, and lifted her shirt over her head.

Shizuru casually glanced over from the other end of the changing room. _Ara, what a pleasant view. _Shizuru causally adjusted her position for a better viewing angle. _It seems I was correct. _Shizuru thought happily to herself as she discretely examined the other girl's perfectly toned abdomen. She watched as the younger girl tugged her shirt all the way off, even blushing a little at the sight of Natsuki's elegant dark bra. _Ara, bad thoughts. Calm down Shizuru, you __do have to train her after this._

Shizuru quickly turned away before anyone could notice her faint blush, and tugged her skirt down. She grabbed her FANG shorts and swapped items of clothing, pulling up the shorts to a teasingly short height. She took her jacket and shirt off, folding them neatly in a pile on the bench next to her. Getting a sudden idea, she grabbed her t-shirt and walked calmly over to the other end of the locker room.

She slowly put her arm on Natsuki's shoulder and turned her around.

"Are you almost ready Natsuki?" Shizuru asked. Her movement attracted the eyes of almost everyone in the locker room. She slowly pulled her t-shirt over her head. Natsuki's eyes widened, try hard not to watch the movement. She could see Shizuru's stunning deep red bra out of the corner of her eyes.

"W...what!?" Natsuki gulped, face flushing to almost the same color. "Y..yeah. I'm... I'm ready." _Oh God, don't look! _Against her will, Natsuki's eyes followed the motion as Shizuru pulled the shirt down over her perfectly shaped stomach.

Natsuki chocked, quickly covering it up with a series of coughs. _What the hell is wrong with you!? _She asked herself frantically.

Mai and Chie watched this whole display from the far corner.

"Did... what I think just happened... happen?" Chie asked, eyebrows raised in shock. "...Cause sometimes I just fantasiz... I mean..." She cleared her throat sheepishly. "..._imagine_ things like that."

"I'm honestly not sure." Mai replied, shaking her head blankly. Natsuki was blushing!? What bizarre world was this?

"Can we go now?" Nao asked as she finished putting on her shirt. She turned around, and followed Mai and Chie's gaze. "Whoa." She smirked. "What happened to her?"

"Good question." Chie replied, tossing her jacket onto the bench, not taking her eyes of Natsuki. She'd moved on from Natsuki's blush and onto her legs. "You getting anything Mai?" She asked the red headed girl.

Mai shrugged, not really sure. "Nervous... angry...." She paused. "We'll the angry _is_ pretty usual, and it's her first day of school."

"Huh." Chie grunted. "Well..." She finally said. "I guess we better get going." After quickly checking out the grade 11 girl who walked past her, Chie walked towards the door. Mai nodded, following behind her.

Natsuki, seeing her friends leave, quickly decided to follow their lead. She inched past Shizuru, half pinned onto the wall, and made a break for the door.

Shizuru smirked and started to walk out. Perhaps it would be easier then she thought to get Natsuki's attention.

When the rest of the class had joined them outside, Midori came back into the room with a bottle of water. "So, who wants to go first?" She grinned.

The class once again regarded her with confusion. _Am I supposed to know what she's talking about? _Natsuki asked herself.

"Come on grade elevens! Who wants to give a demonstration?" Midori urged, excitement in her voice. When no one volunteered Midori sighed. "Alright Fujino. Get on up here."

Shizuru raised her eyebrows in surprise. _Ara, what did I just get volunteered to do? _After a brief hesitation Shizuru gracefully got onto her feet and walked calmly up to the front.

Natsuki watched her, shocked. _Does she know what she's supposed to do? _She asked herself, studying the girl's complacent expression.

"So, who wants to take on Fujino?" Midori asked, glancing over at the grade 11 side. No one volunteered much to Shizuru's amusement.

"Ara, Reito-san, didn't you say you rather enjoyed our fight last time?" Shizuru asked, smile widening slightly at the look on his face.

Midori beamed at Shizuru. "Perfect. Get up here then." She gestured with a wave.

Natsuki smirked when she saw the paled look on his face. Nevertheless he smiled, and bravely walked up to the front. A few girls in the class, including Mai, swooned. Their two favorite local celebrities were about to face off.

Chie unfolded her cellphone and set up a good angle. There was no way, she'd miss something like this.

"Are we allowed to use our power Midori-san?" Reito asked their teacher.

Shizuru, though she'd never show it, panicked a little. Of all powers to fight against, his was one of the more difficult ones. He simply had to close his eyes to keep her power at bay, and with his soon to be massive rock-solid form, Shizuru would have a hard time defending herself.

"Oh, why complicate things Reito?" Shizuru quickly answered before the teacher could open her mouth. "We're simply up here to demonstrate hand to hand combat, are we not?" She turned back to their teacher for confirmation.

"Yep." Midori nodded in agreement, not really caring either way. "What she said."

Reito exhaled slowly. Shizuru shot him a small smile that only he could interpret as a silent claim of victory.

"Shall we then?" Shizuru asked, walking over to the non-occupied half of the large padded room. Reito nodded, an amused smile on his face. He stopped a few feet away from Shizuru, and they both got into a loose starting pose.

Shizuru stood with her knees bent slightly, fists raised up and angled to block an attack. Reito's stance was quite similar as the two turned to face each other.

Natsuki watched the scene, surprised. Shizuru looked so natural in her stance. Her slightly bent legs accentuated her slender thighs, but also showed how defined they really were. Natsuki blushed slightly. _Baka, you're staring at her legs! What are you... a pervert?_

"Ladies first." Reito offered, shooting Shizuru a grin. Shizuru smiled slightly and met his gaze.

"You should know by Reito, I _never_ start a fight." She countered.

"See, don't you think they go great together?" Natsuki faintly heard a girl whisper from behind her. Natsuki's fists clenched as she saw Reito shoot Shizuru another blinding smile. Surely there was nothing going on between them... right?

Before anyone could react Reito pivoted, and sent his right leg flying straight to Shizuru's face in perfect form. Natsuki froze in shock as she watched the scene play out.

Shizuru registered the kick before Reito had even raised his leg. She quickly sidestepped the blow, slamming her right arm into Reito's leg with enough force to shove it aside. Reito, fully expecting this, swung his right leg down again, using it to pivot towards his right side. He slammed his left knee up towards Shizuru's stomach, using the momentum he'd gained along the way.

Natsuki watched in horrified amazement. Where did he get off kicking so hard!? If Shizuru hadn't blocked that it could have knocked her out!

Shizuru slammed both arms down into his knee, shoving it downward. Using open fisted hands she blocked his next three punches, neatly diverging his arms to the side.

Before he could move to attack yet again, Shizuru shifted her weight and swung her right leg solidly into Reito's side. He winced at the impact, and regained his stance. Shizuru gave him a little room to recover.

Reito spun backwards on his right leg and aimed a solid roundhouse kick in Shizuru's direction. She neatly ducked the kick, spinning in towards Reito the opposite way.

With a small shift in weight she raised her leg in a similar manner, slamming into Reito's leg before it hit the ground. Reito sprawled forward onto his leg, barely managing to regain his balance.

Shizuru took one small step forward and slammed her right foot backwards into the back of his knee. Reito's leg collapsed and he quickly rolled forwards into a standing position.

As soon as he righted himself he pivoted on his left leg and sent a kick towards Shizuru's face. She jumped back quickly, then kicked towards Reito's now exposed right side. He barely blocked with his right arm in time, countering with another punch towards Shizuru's head.

Shizuru ran up closer to Reito, ducking just in time and spinning close to the floor. She stuck out her right leg as she spun, shifting her weight onto her right arm for speed. Reito was unable to move in time, and Shizuru's leg slammed into his ankles, knocking him flat off his feet.

Still spinning, Shizuru shifted her weight back to her leg and spun back into a standing position. Without breaking the flow of her movement, she shoved Reito down with her left leg as he tried to get up. He fell back onto the floor, and Shizuru stopped her now extended left foot inches from Reito's face. Her face slightly flushed from the exertion, she held her foot there, breathing only slightly more heavily than usual.

The entire class erupted into a mixture of applause and fan girl squeals. Natsuki sat, too stunned to do anything. _She...she's amazing! _

Shizuru carefully swung her leg back and shifted her weight onto it. Laughing a little at the applause, she offered her arm out to Reito. Reito took it, and she helped him into a standing position. Grinning (Reito sheepishly grinning more then anything), they both turned and bowed to their audience, before turning to their teacher for instructions.

Midori beamed at Shizuru. "So you see..." She started, turning back to all the grade tens. "This is what you'll be able to do by the end of this year's course." Then she paused, glancing back at Shizuru. "Well... maybe not quite...but you'll certainly be closer to that then you are now."

Natsuki smirked, turning to see if the rest of the class was as shocked as she was. Everyone looked impressed, but not nearly to the extent Natsuki was. _I guess they __**have**__ seen her fight before. _Natsuki realized, feeling somehow cheated from the experience of watching her prior to this.

"Now that we have a feel for what today's class is going to be like I want you all to split off into pairs. As I'm sure you're all aware of, your choice of partner will be permanent for the rest of the year. Make sure you choose wisely."

She paused, glancing around the room. "Now, when you've found your partner... I want both of you to choose one of the big boxed-in spaces on the floor." She gestured to the painted lines. "Thankfully we have lot's of room in here, so there shouldn't be any problems. Try not to invade someone else's box, it could result in injury."

The teacher paused, glancing down at her clipboard. "Oh, there are a few new kids in grade ten. No one in grade eleven, which is good, but grade elevens who partner with new kids, make sure to start teaching them the basics. Try to go over some of the things you learned from the start of grade nine. Hopefully, since you guys will have individual teachers you'll learn faster. Try to get them as caught up as you can by the end of the year. With any luck, they shouldn't be too far behind."

The perky teacher paused, glancing at her students once more with a huge smile on her face. "So, go to it, and good luck! I'll probably be somewhere around the room if you need me."

Everyone got up quickly, wanting to find a good partner before they'd all be gone.

"Oh, and guys?" Midori added. Everyone froze, glancing at the teacher. "Try not to kill each other?" She pleaded.

With that, everyone went back to hurrying around the room. Natsuki got up slowly, not feeling particularly concerned.

She glanced around the room, looking for Shizuru. She was suddenly a lot more grateful Shizuru was her partner. If Shizuru could teach her how to fight like her, she'd be incredible.

"S...Shizuru-sama? Do you have a partner yet?" Natsuki heard come from beside her. She turned to her right, and saw a group of girl scattered around Shizuru. Natsuki immediately felt a pang of jealously. Shizuru was _her_ partner.

"Ara, I'm sorry. I've promised myself to another." Shizuru smiled.

Natsuki blushed, though there was no way the grade tens would know she was talking about her. _The way she phrased that... it almost sounded like... _Natsuki's thoughts trailed off.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru's voice brought her back to the classroom.

"Huh?" Natsuki jumped, glancing over. The girls crowding around her looked her way. They, no doubt wanted to see who Shizuru had chosen.

"Shall we go then, Natsuki?" Shizuru asked, smiling at the startled look on the younger girl's face.

Natsuki looked from Shizuru to the jealous look on her classmates' faces. She smirked to Shizuru, feeling an immediate sense of pride to be chosen as her partner. Natsuki walked over to Shizuru, ignoring the glares she was receiving from Shizuru's latest admirers.

Shizuru waited for Natsuki to walk up. Grabbing the younger girl's arm she began to lead her over to an empty area.

"Shizuru!" Natsuki exclaimed, ripping her arm free. Shizuru sighed audibly.

"You know Natsuki, no one will believe we're partners if you act like that." Shizuru informed her, raising her eyebrows at the navy haired girl.

"Fine with me." Natsuki shrugged, meeting her gaze. Shizuru smirked slightly, before finally coming to a stop.

"Well..." Shizuru began, glancing around the room. "...this seems to be as good a spot as any."

Natsuki turned to look around the room. _Why are we so far away from everyone?_ "Um...okay." Natsuki finally said, confused.

"Am I correct to presume you have had no previous training in martial arts?" Shizuru asked Natsuki. If she had it would certainly make her job a lot easier.

"Nope." Natsuki replied. "I've been in lots of fights before, though." She smirked.

Shizuru sighed. "Then I shall have to break you out of all your bad habits."

"Hey!" Natsuki exclaimed. "Just cause I'm not _insanely_ skilled like you are doesn't mean I can't fight!"

"Ara. Natsuki believes me to be _insanely_ skilled? I thought she didn't believe that I was best in my class." Shizuru pouted slightly.

Natsuki groaned. "Fine, fine. I'm sorry I doubted you." She glared, blushing softly. Shizuru grinned.

"Ara, I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that Natsuki." Shizuru said in response. Her grin widened when Natsuki glared harder.

"That's too bad for you then." Natsuki replied, narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms. Shizuru pouted again, making Natsuki laugh despite herself. "There's no way you're making me say it again." She grinned. "Now, are we going to fight or what?"

Shizuru laughed, ruby eyes sparkling. "Ara, perhaps not _quite_ yet, okay Natsuki?"

"What!?" Natsuki asked. "Then what are we doing?"

"I'm going to start teaching you the basics." Shizuru replied. "Starting with _my_ very first lesson... She paused. "...how to break a fall."

"What!?" Natsuki exclaimed. "But...but you have to teach me how to fight like you can!"

"Natsuki, please." Shizuru laughed, stepping closer to her. "We will get there eventually, but if you injure yourself it _will_ take longer."

"But..." Natsuki pouted much to Shizuru's surprise. "...I'm more concerned with the _not_ wiping out... then the falling part."

Shizuru laughed. "Step one when falling..." She began. Natsuki groaned.

This would be a _very_ long class.

* * *

"Oof." Natsuki grunted as she hit the mat for the fourteenth time. She looked up from off the padded floor. "How was that?" She panted, a hopeful look on her face.

Shizuru hesitated, feeling a little guilty. _She looks so hopeful too. _"Kanin na Natsuki, but it's still not correct." She said, bending down to study the younger girl's face. Natsuki groaned, and got up, her back aching with discomfort.

"Are you sure?" She asked, sighing.

Shizuru nodded, smiling sadly down at her. "You need to evenly distribute your weight, and you're still not keeping your head all the way up. You really need to be careful Natsuki. If these floors weren't padded..."

"I know... I know." Natsuki cut Shizuru off. "_Crack_." She emphasized.

"So, shall we try again?" Shizuru asked, offering her hand out to girl on the ground. Natsuki sighed before grabbing her hand and getting up.

"I've noticed how when ever you say _we,_ you really mean _you."_ Natsuki commented, crossing her arms.

"Ara, but it's such a nice word don't you think? _We._" She replied grinning, testing the word on her tongue.

Natsuki blushed, even though she wasn't quite sure why. "...Whatever Shizuru." She finally said, giving Shizuru a look.

"Now, would you try again for me?" Shizuru asked Natsuki, locking eyes with her. Natsuki inhaled sharply under the intensity of her gaze.

"O..okay. Fine." Natsuki said finding it hard to look away. Shizuru stopped her when she was just about to throw herself down on the mat for the fifteenth time that day.

"So, do you remember what I told you?" Shizuru asked, stepping towards her slowly.

Natsuki nodded. _...Hopefully... Any more of this and I'll be just as insane as she is._

Shizuru stepped closer to her anyway, eyes sparkling with a look Natsuki couldn't identify.

"Remember..." Shizuru started, her voice taking on a husky tone. "Try to land so that your body is turned in relation to the ground. To avoid hitting your spine, you must carry the weight.... here..." She finished slowly, reaching behind the Natsuki, and placing her hand on one side of her back. "...or here." She finished, placing her other hand on the other.

Natsuki found herself entirely unable to move. _Why is she touching me?! _She thought frantically, trying to get her body to obey her. Shizuru smiled softly, and let her hands trail down Natsuki's back before letting go. As her hands brushed against the small of her back, Natsuki felt herself trembling.

Shizuru felt the Natsuki shiver as she slowly moved her hands downward. _Now that's more like it. _She thought to herself, quite pleased with the results. "Understand... Na-tsu-ki?" She breathed out her name into the younger girl's ear.

Natsuki nodded slowly, unsure of what to do. How could Shizuru make something like showing her how to fall seem so … intimate? Natsuki stumbled back a little when Shizuru finally removed her hands. All of a sudden she felt a little light headed. Whether that was a result of too many falls or too much blood rushing to her head, she honestly didn't know.

Shizuru, noticing how flustered Natsuki was, grinned to herself. She didn't know what it was about Natsuki that drew her in so intensely. _Ara, perhaps I may be coming on a little strong..._ _Or perhaps... maybe not strong enough? _She couldn't help but think. Shizuru hesitated. _Ara, perhaps I'm simply indulging myself. _The glare now on the younger girl's face certainly didn't suggest she enjoyed Shizuru's teasing.

"Look, do you want me to do it or not?" Natsuki snapped, catching Shizuru off guard. _I __hate it when she does that! _Natsuki told herself angrily. _Why does she have to always get so close to me? _Why did she always have to make her feel like this?

_Why is she so upset? _Shizuru asked herself, her stomach tightening a little. "Y..yes Natsuki, please, go ahead."

Natsuki hesitated, when she heard Shizuru's voice. _Did I... did I just hurt her feelings? _Natsuki wondered, her stomach tightening a little as well. _Baka... there you go again... she's just trying to help you learn!_

"O..Okay.." Natsuki replied, trying to make eye contact with Shizuru. She wouldn't quite meet her gaze.

There was a soft thump as Natsuki threw herself onto the mat, careful to keep her head up and not to land on her spine. After a moment, she looked up at Shizuru, wondering if she'd messed it up for a fifteenth time.

"Very good Natsuki." Shizuru smiled softly. "That was correct."

"Really?!" Natsuki jumped up excitedly. She paused. "Are you sure?" She asked suspiciously.

Shizuru laughed, shaking her head at the girl. "It was fine Natsuki."

"Really!" Natsuki repeated, looking close to ecstatic. "So...now you teach me how to fight like you can?"

"I'll do my best Natsuki." Shizuru promised. "As long as you as don't use what I've shown you outside of class... unless you absolutely _need_ to that it." She couldn't help but add. She didn't want Natsuki thinking she could handle Tomoe after her first week of training.

Natsuki rolled her eyes. "If that freak stays away from me it won't be an issue." _Until I decide to track her down... _Natsuki mentally added to herself. There was no way Tomoe would get away with what had happened.

Shizuru sighed. That might be easier said then done. Already she'd had to switch Tomoe out of the class they were in now and into the powers class second period. Shizuru had double checked to make sure she was already in Natsuki's class, but when she saw Tomoe's name she new something had to be done.

"So..." Natsuki continued. "What's next?"

"Well, I think I'll go get some equipment for your next lesson." Shizuru decided. "I'll be back shortly." She told Natsuki, before walking over to Midori to receive proper permission.

Natsuki glanced around the large room. Her attention was drawn to one pair of partners in particular. They were already sparring. Natsuki sighed. She had a feeling it would take a while to get caught up to a level where she could even consider sparring with Shizuru.

"Why the long face?" Shizuru laughed, making her back to their area.

Natsuki glanced up. "Huh. Oh, it's nothing." She shrugged. "So, what now?"

Shizuru smiled and held up a set of boxing pads. "We're going to focus on accuracy and strength."

"I get to hit things?" Natsuki asked, suddenly perking up a little. Shizuru grinned, putting on the hand held pads.

"Let's start with some quick punches." She instructed. Natsuki smirked. Things were starting to look up.

* * *

"Faster." Shizuru instructed. She continued to move the pads around in various positions after each hit. Natsuki punched as quickly as she could, breathing hard from the exertion. Sure, she was in shape... but this was a little different then what she was used to.

"Good." Shizuru smiled, motioning for her to stop. Natsuki grinned, stretching her arms from side to side. "And now... we move on to kicks."

"Already!?" Natsuki exclaimed, still trying to get enough oxygen to her lungs. "But I've been doing this for ages!"

"Ages?" Shizuru smiled, glancing at the clock. It had been about 10 minutes since they switched activities. "Ara, I see."

Natsuki followed her gaze to the clock and scowled. "Fine, fine. Kicking it is." She backed up a little and directed her first kick Shizuru's right hand. It connected with a loud smacking noise. Shizuru lowered the pads quickly, before Natsuki cold kick again. The poor girl clearly didn't have much practice.

"Your strength is very... adequate." Shizuru said, rubbing her wrist tenderly. Natsuki smirked a little. "However, your form could use a little work." Shizuru lowered the boxing pads, and walked over to Natsuki.

"May I?" She asked, gesturing towards Natsuki's leg. Natsuki froze. _May you what...exactly?_

"Um...sure?" She answered, still oblivious.

Shizuru smiled at the younger girl before gently easing her leg into a somewhat outstretched position. "When you outstretch your leg, pivot slightly on your other foot. That way you can aim the kick directly, and your leg will move faster."

Natsuki blushed, trying to ignore the fact that Shizuru was grabbing her bare thigh and calf. She attempted to pivot on her left foot without falling over during the process.

"Correct." Shizuru smiled, shifting her grip on Natsuki's leg. Natsuki stifled a gasp when she did, blushing furiously. _God, she's practically massaging my leg! _Natsuki panicked. _Just... calm down Natsuki... calm down. She's just helping you train!_

Shizuru was well aware of the effect her grip was having on the younger girl. She tried her best to keep her composure, and to continue showing Natsuki how to outstretch her leg correctly. _Ara, I'd never really noticed how fun school could be._

"Then, bending over slightly, you need to position your leg...." She placed her hand on Natsuki's stomach and pushed her gently the way she wanted. "...like this." She finished, moving Natsuki's leg through the motion of a kick. "Understand?" She asked, unable to control herself from sliding her hand gently up the back of Natsuki's thigh.

Natsuki gulped, nodding quickly. _Don't panic!!! _She screamed to herself, trying incredibly hard to breathe.

Shizuru took pity on the girl. She didn't know how much more she could handle. _ We'll work up to it I suppose. _She told herself reassuringly. She carefully let go of Natsuki's leg and walked back to the boxing pads like nothing was wrong.

"Time to pack up everyone!" Midori called out from the other end of the room. Those of you using equipment...put it back please. Those of you not, you can go get changed. I'll see you all tommorow. If I didn't get around to your group today, I will get to you tommorow, don't worry. Okay..." She smiled. "...Goodbye everyone."

Everyone rushed over to the change rooms, eager to get out of the last class of the day.

"I'll put these back Natsuki." Shizuru offered, grabbing the boxing pads.

Natsuki nodded, taking off for the change rooms as quickly as she could.

She was determined to not be there by the time Shizuru got back.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Well, here's chapter 5... :D**

**I stayed up late writing again lol. I'm really sorry guys, but I think I'm going to have to start updating every two days instead of everyday. Lol, sleep deprivation just doesn't suit me.**

**Anyways, on with the story... I was pretty pleased with how it turned out, but as always, I hope you guys like it too!!! :D**

**PS: Over 100 review!!! Thanks so much everyone!!! :D**

**Chapter # 5: Care to Dance?**

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"Well that was an _absolute_ disaster!" Natsuki growled when the door to their room finally closed. She stormed over to her bed and flopped down in what could only be described as complete exasperation.

"Huh?" Chie asked, readjusting her glasses. "I though it was fun personally." She looked at Nao for confirmation. Nao smirked and made her way over to her corner of the room.

"Yeah, cause your partner's not entirely _insane._" Natsuki replied.

"Who _is_ your partner Chie?" Mai asked, taking out some books from her bag. She had seen her friend sparring with a shorter brown haired girl earlier.

"Senou Aoi." Chie grinned, ruffling her charcoal hair. "I've seen her around a few times before this, but I've never talked to her before today." Of course by 'seen her around' she meant checked her out discretely in the Fuuka Academy hallways.

"Who?" Nao asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Come on Nao. You've seen her before." Chie paused, thinking. "Oh!" She exclaimed snapping her fingers. "...The second girl I smiled at in the locker room today!"

"You mean checked out?" Nao asked her, smirking. "...that's odd. I thought Kuga was number two."

"Chie!" Natsuki glared, blushing faintly.

Chie rubbed her head sheepishly. "No, no. She was the third."

Natsuki groaned, and buried her head in her pillow. After a moment, she glanced over in Nao's direction. "So who'd you get stuck with?" She asked.

"Some Shiho girl." Nao shrugged, then smirked. "Anyway, she's got a totally whacked power. She can like... grow her hair really fast, and move it around and stuff. It's a _little_ creepy..." She smirked to herself. "...And _useless_. I figured, hey, it'll make my life easier when we have power sparring matches."

Natsuki snorted, picturing what Nao was describing. She was suddenly extremely glad she got the power she did.

"I still can't believe who my partner is." Mai laughed.

"Oh, don't tell me..." Natsuki groaned, picturing her friend drooling over Reito in the middle of Powers.

"Kanzaki Reito." Mai sighed dreamily. "Hey, don't you guys think he did really well in the sparring match again Fujino-san?"

That got Natsuki's attention. She raised her eyebrows, giving Mai a look. "Did you really just say that?" She asked.

"What?" Mai laughed. "He was very good-natured about it."

"He was very good natured about getting his ass kicked." Natsuki smirked.

"You can laugh all you want Natsuki." Mai scolded her. "But just wait till Fujino-san has _you _sparring against her."

Natsuki had to admit, Mai _did_ have a point. "Yeah, well that probably won't be an issue for _quite_ a while. Today she had me learning the proper way to fall on my ass."

Nao snickered. Even Mai grinned a little.

"Anyway..." Natsuki continued. "It wasn't exactly _fun_." She paused, eyes narrowing. "And she kept like... touching me and stuff." Natsuki frowned, blushing slightly as she recalled the experience. She could almost still feel Shizuru's hand on her thigh.

There was silence in the room. All that could be heard was the almost silent pop that came when Chie teleported a Kleenex to wipe her now gently bleeding nose.

"Umm..." Mai started, not sure where she was going with her sentence. "So...um... y..yeah. You guys better start on your essays, right?" She attempted to subtly change the topic. What was going on between Natsuki and the kaichou?

Nao grinned, still a little shocked. "Nice Mai."

"I tried." Mai sighed. Natsuki blinked, not sure what just happened. She sighed and grabbed her math textbook from her bag. Factoring was definitely not her thing.

"We'll, I'm gonna take a trip to the store. Anyone want anything?" Mai asked, grabbing her wallet.

Natsuki gasped in realization. No wonder she'd been off today. "Mayo!" She cried, stunning all other occupants of the room.

"...Right." Mai nodded, grinning. "How could I forget?"

"Thanks." Natsuki breathed a sigh of relief. That took care of that. She grabbed her bag again, and unzipped the pocket that held her comic. Grinning, she pinned it carefully to her wall, and watched it a couple of times.

"Did Jiro make that for you?" Mai asked, going in for a closer look. Her eyes widened slightly as the teal haired girl went flying, but she couldn't help but grin.

"Yep." Natsuki grinned. "Isn't it awesome?" Chie grinned too, still trying to stop her nosebleed.

Mai, just shook her head, laughing. "Well, I'm out of here then. See you in half an hour guys. Don't forget about the dance tonight!"

"Like I'd forget!" Chie laughed excitedly. "I told Aoi I'd meet her there." She blushed softly.

"Huh?" Natsuki asked, no clue what anyone was talking about.

"Fuuka Academy's start of the year dance." Mai clarified. "Weren't you at the assem... oh, right."

Natsuki sat up. "There's a dance?"

"Yeah, they have one every year." Chie added. "I thought you knew about it."

Natsuki snorted. "I might as well not have found out at all." _There's no way I'd be caught dead at a school function other then class. _Even that one was iffy enough as it was.

"What!?" Mai cried out, looking quite horrified at the thought. "You're not going?!"

Natsuki raised her eyebrows. "Is that a problem Mai?"

Nao grinned. "Next thing you'll be saying you hate Karaoke."

"I _do_ hate Karaoke." Natsuki glared, pausing at Mai's expression. "What? Singing and me just really don't mix."

"Natsuki, you _have_ to go to the dance!" Mai told her, sitting down on her bed. Natsuki groaned, wishing she'd never said anything at all.

"Why?" She asked, not bothering to hide her completely unamused look.

"Well..." Mai started. "B..because." She pouted, trying to make the unaffected girl give in. Mai sighed. "Natsuki! _Everyone_ will be there."

"Everyone but _me,_ you mean." Natsuki added, grinning at Nao's smirk from across the room.

"This isn't negotiable! Natsuki you have to go. " Mai cried, frantically trying to come up with a good reason.

"Evidently _not." _Natsuki replied. "Since you haven't really given me any proper reason _why_."

Mai groaned. When had it come to this? ...She knew what had to be done.

"I'll pay for your mayonnaise for the rest of the month." She sighed. Natsuki's face lit up a little.

"Really?" She asked, thinking. That _would_ save her a lot of money. Mai _clearly_ didn't know what she was getting into. "And I'd just have to be there... I wouldn't have to dance?" She clarified.

"Well I don't really see the point if you're not going to..."

"Mai!" Natsuki cut her off, glaring.

"Fine! Geesh. You don't have to dance." Mai caved. "But you probably should at least try...."

Natsuki cut her off with a glare. Mai sighed.

"The dance is at seven." She said, before starting to walk out of the room. "I'll be sure to remember the mayo."

Natsuki waited for her to leave, before rolling over to face Nao. "Are you actually going to this thing?" She asked her.

Nao smirked. "Of course." Some of her best cellphones came from high school events.

Natsuki gave her a look before returning to her math text book. _I guess I'd better get this done then. _She thought, to herself. She opened the book and stared at the first question. After blinking a few times a the page she immediately reconsidered. _Or not. _She closed the book, sorry she'd ever opened it.

* * *

"How did things go Shizuru-san?" Yukino looked up from her book when Shizuru walked in their room.

"Alright I suppose." Shizuru replied, thinking. She'd wanted to smooth things over with Natsuki before she left. She'd even considered asking her if she'd see her at the dance that afternoon, but by the time she returned to the locker rooms, Natsuki had gone.

"What's wrong bubuzuke? Ice girl not living up to her reputation?" Haruka asked, grinning. Natsuki _had_ developed quite a reputation from the cafeteria incident. Haruka closed her magazine and sat up on her bed.

"Hmm?" Shizuru asked. "Well she is a beginner after all."

"That's what you get for picking someone new." Haruka nodded.

Yukino regarded her friend with interest. Shizuru looked particularity pensive.

"Ara, I have no regrets regarding my choice of partner." Shizuru smiled, walking over to her desk and sitting down in her chair. _I only hope Natsuki feels the same way. _"I'm simply a little tired after that demonstration I gave."

Yukino gave Haruka a meaningful glance. There was no way a sparring match with Reito would tire Shizuru out.

"Spill it bubuzuke. What's going on?" Haruka ordered, walking over to her desk, hand on her hips.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." Shizuru replied, calmly looking up at the blond haired girl.

"You're acting weirdly." Haruka clarified. "Does it have something to do with that girl?"

_Am I really that obvious? _Shizuru asked herself, shocked. "I honestly have no idea what you mean." Shizuru laughed, meeting Haruka eyes.

Haruka scoffed. "Oh save it Shizuru. You know that mind control thing doesn't work on me."

Shizuru smiled. It was one of the reasons why she and Haruka were so close. The girl knew about her power, but she was just to stubborn to admit it could have an effect on her. She was one of the only people who acted so naturally around her.

"Ara, I think it may be time for some tea." Shizuru replied, getting up out of her chair. She calmly walked off to the kitchen. leaving a now furious Haruka behind.

"Can you believe her!" Haruka cried, annoyed she'd been dismissed like that.

"Maybe it's best if we let it drop Haruka-chan." Yukino replied. She was a little worried for Shizuru. She'd been acting a little off ever since after the assembly.

Haruka sighed. She'd never even consider admiting it, but she was a little worried too.

"It's almost time for the dance." Yukino quickly spoke, eager to distract her friend. "I think I'll go get changed."

Haruka nodded, walking over to their shared closet.

Shizuru carefully poured the now boiled water. She sighed softly to herself. It had only been a few hours since she'd seen Natsuki. So why couldn't she wait until their next Powers class? _Natsuki, what are you doing to me? _She asked herself.

Her mind drifted off to the younger girl. She wondered what Natsuki was doing right now. She smiled softly picturing Natsuki reading a book crossed legged on her bed, a look of complete concentration on her face...

* * *

"What the hell's wrong with that one!?" Natsuki yelled. She glared at the two girls crowded around her assortment of clothes. "Is a perfectly decent shirt!"

Mai and Chie sighed in synchronization.

"Do you really want to go to your first school dance looking nothing but decent?" Mai asked her. Natsuki blinked.

"It works for me." She said, trying to grab the blue t-shirt. Mai was too fast. She grabbed the shirt before Natsuki could get to it.

"Seriously Natsuki, please, think this through." Mai said, looking panicked.

"Ooh. Very hot." Chie said, grabbing a pair of slightly ripped grey jeans. "Wear these." She said, checking Mai for approval. Mai nodded emphatically.

Natsuki groaned. "My mom bought those for me."

"You're mom has good taste." Chie replied, impressed. "Now, onto the shirt..." She started, ruffling through the various clothing items.

"Oh, check out that one!" Mai said, gesturing to a black t-shirt with a silver bio-hazard symbol painted on.

"Uh, it's cool Mai." Chie agreed. "But... don't you think it kinda sends the wrong message?"

Mai paused, considering her point. "Nah, it's got like a... I'm so hot it's dangerous vibe going on." She replied, grinning at Chie.

Chie laughed, seeing her point. "Yeah, I guess." She turned to Natsuki. "Alright, bio-hazard it is."

Nao smirked. "Finally. Can we go now? Or do we have to pick out Natsuki's lingerie too?"

"Oh, good point..." Chie started, until an intense glare from Natsuki stopped her in her tracks. "...I guess not then." She said sheepishly.

Natsuki sighed, and grabbed her clothes. She concentrated on all the mayo she'd soon be receiving, and not on the fact that her friends were picking out her clothes for her.

After she changed she grabbed her favorite (and only) necklace; a wolf's tooth on a long silver chain, and threw it on.

Chie snapped a quick picture and fled the room first. Natsuki followed in quick pursuit, trying to grab the phone and delete the picture. By the time she'd caught up, Chie had teleported the phone elsewhere and Natsuki was forced to give up. Mai and Nao locked up their room and followed them to the school gymnasium.

* * *

"Next." One of the grade twelve students frisking people at the door commanded. Natsuki sighed. It was almost her turn. She _really_ didn't want to be frisked. Chie spread her arms and legs out, grinning to the girl about to frisk her.

The girl blushed, and ran her hands around Chie's legs, her waist and her stomach, searching her for weapons.

"You can go." She smiled when she'd finished. Chie sent her another charming smile and walked off into the gym. Now it was Mai's turn.

"Ara, I was told you needed assistance?" Shizuru walked over to the girl at the front. The girl nodded, looking relieved.

"I'm sorry, it's just really hot in here. I was hoping you could take over so I could go grab a drink." She girl laughed nervously, hoping the Kaichou wouldn't think she was slacking off.

Shizuru glanced at the line up, freezing when she saw Natsuki's face so close to the front. _Ara, that was certainly unexpected. _She hesitated. It certainly seemed to be fated to turn out this way.

Natsuki, overhearing their conversation paled instantly. _This is so not happening. _She told herself, mentally kicking herself for agreeing to go to the dance in the first place.

Shizuru saw Natsuki visibly loose all color in her face. Her stomach clenched tightly. Somehow she felt like she'd just been rejected. _Are you really that afraid of me Natsuki? Do I really make you that nervous?_

It was that moment that Shizuru made a choice. It wasn't fair to Natsuki to always be so forward. Instead of pulling he closer, she'd just be pushing her away. No, if she wanted to get closer to Natsuki, she'd have to try a different approach.

"I'm sorry."Shizuru replied, taking her gaze of Natsuki and onto the girl in front of her. "I was just on my way to use the washroom. I'll be sure to take over as soon as I get back."

The girl nodded her thanks, and Shizuru walked off towards the nearest bathroom. Natsuki breathed a sigh of relief. That was too close for her liking. _But... Why did Shizuru look specifically look at me when she answered? _Shizuru looked like she was going to say yes until she'd seen her. Was Shizuru mad at her? _Baka..._ Natsuki told herself. She was almost acting like she was disappointed Shizuru left. And that definitely _wasn't_ the case...

The line moved up and Nao got frisked.

"You're checking for weapons?" Nao smirked at the girl. The girl raised her eyebrows at her, nodding. "Do these count?" Nao asked, clenching her fists and extending her claws inches from the girl's face.

Natsuki couldn't help but grin. The girl rolled her eyes and ushered Nao into the gym. Natsuki, stepped up and spread her arms and legs. The girl began to check her, and Natsuki blushed furiously when she imagined Shizuru doing to her what the girl was doing.

When the girl finally let her in, Natsuki almost tripped in a rush to get away. After regaining her balance she joined Nao, Mai and Chie on the other side. Loud music pounded in her ears, and lights flashed. Natsuki paused, shocked. So this was what a school dance was like. She had never thought it would be so... loud.

"Don't you love this song?" Mai asked, grabbing whoever she could reach and shoving them out onto the dance floor.

She started dancing, a look of excitement on her face. Natsuki sighed. This would be a very long night.

"I'm going to go... sit down." Natsuki told everyone.

"Are you sure you don't want to dance?" Mai asked. "It's really fun once you get the hang of it."

Natsuki rolled her eyes, smiling. "Thanks Mai, but I think I'll pass." Natsuki shoved past an over excited couple and plopped down in the first seat she could find. She checked the nearest clock. Well, they spent 15 minutes waiting in line. That meant only... 2 hours and 45 minutes left. _Great. _Natsuki told herself. She watched her friends dance for a moment. At least Chie and Mai looked like they were having fun.

Natsuki watched, amused as Nao smirked, and strolled over to a guy in the other corner. She danced next to him for a moment, grabbing his attention. She leaned over, dancing closer and whispered something in his ear. The poor boy looked so happy, Natsuki almost felt bad for him. Nao grinned, and led him off by the hand.

Natsuki grinned. The girl was certainly quite skilled. Natsuki turned back to Chie and Mai.

After a few minutes had passed, Natsuki saw Chie say something to Mai. Mai, nodded, laughing, and Chie walked away. Mai danced her way over to the group Akane was dancing with.

Chie skillfully weaved her way through the crowd to a brown haired girl dancing. The girl turned, saw her standing there and blushed. Chie produced a rose from midair for the girl, this time a deep red one. Natsuki laughed. Who knew Chie was so smooth?

"Aren't you going to dance?" An accented voice drew her attention to her right. Shizuru smiled at her and finished walking towards her. Natsuki blushed. How did Shizuru always manage to sneak up on her like that?

Shizuru smiled down at the girl, trying to look as un-intimidating as possible. In her short amethyst one piece dress, it was a job easier said then done.

"I don't dance." Natsuki replied, crossing her arms. She examined Shizuru's outfit, gulping quietly. Purple was definitely Shizuru's color.

"Everyone dances..." Shizuru argued, then ducked out of the way as a grade 12 boy danced awkwardly past her, flailing his arms. "...Admittedly some more gracefully then others." She said, glancing back to the boy.

Natsuki had to grin at that. "Trust me... _I_ don't." She repeated.

Shizuru paused, sneaking a very brief peak at Natsuki's t-shirt. _Ara, a bio-hazard symbol? _Judging from the effect Natsuki was having on her physically she almost didn't doubt it. Shizuru quickly glanced up again, not wanting it to seem like she was staring at the younger girl's chest. She quietly breathed in quickly. The mixture of Natsuki's ripped gray jeans and shirt was, well... incredibly hot.

"Well then..." Shizuru replied. "Do you mind if I join you?" She asked, gesturing to the next chair over.

Natsuki hesitated. She didn't want to admit it, but she did appreciate the company. "...I guess not." Natsuki replied, wanting a way to say yes without giving away how grateful she was.

"Arigato." Shizuru smiled, smoothing her skirt. She felt a pang of relief. For a moment it almost looked like Natsuki would say no.

"Are you sure _you_ don't want to dance?" Natsuki asked her. She would have thought Shizuru would thrive in events like these.

"I don't usually dance at events like these either." Shizuru admitted.

"But _everyone_ dances Shizuru, didn't you now?" Natsuki grinned. Shizuru laughed.

"Ara, I never said I _couldn't _dance. I'm simply suited to a different dancing style." She grinned.

Natsuki raised her eyebrows in suspicion. "You can't dance... can you?" She asked, thoroughly enjoying their conversation.

Shizuru looked back at her with a playful look of complete shock. "My, such accusations! And what do you base that assumption on?" She asked, grinning.

"Um... the fact that your sitting here." Natsuki grinned. "Works for me."

Shizuru sighed. "If you really must know, I was unfairly accused of inappropriately dancing at an event previous to this one."

Natsuki blinked, not believing her ears. After running through what Shizuru had just told her a second time she erupted into a fit of laughter. Shizuru, quite taken aback by her outburst, grinned, pleased that she and Natsuki were carrying on a conversation.

"Are you serious?" Natsuki gasped for air. "You?" Well, now that she thought about it... Shizuru did have a pretty allowing definition of appropriate.

"Well it wasn't my fault of course." Shizuru laughed. "I hadn't even seen the young man dancing closely behind me until someone pointed him out."

Natsuki smirked, picturing the look of surprise on Shizuru's face. "Did you get in trouble?" She asked, quite curious now.

"No, though as you imagine... the embarrassment was punishment enough. I was, however, given a strict warning that I would be kicked out if they spotted me doing something like that a second time." Shizuru smiled, remembering the incident quite clearly. Haruka wouldn't stop laughing for days after it's occurrence.

Natsuki was a little surprised Shizuru was so forthcoming in telling her this. She had a feeling the girl didn't share storied like that often. Natsuki studied the faint smile on Shizuru's face, blushing faintly when she found herself staring at Shizuru's lips.

"Hey Shizuru?" Natsuki asked. "What are your parents like?"

Shizuru looked faintly surprised at the question. Natsuki admitted it was a little far off their current topic, but she was honestly curious. Shizuru was so different from everyone else. The way she acted, the way she made her feel. Was that just partially from the way she was raised?

"Ara, well... I suppose they're rather like me in a way." Shizuru smiled. "They don't have powers like we do, though they're very well known in their own right."

"But... I thought powers were genetic." Natsuki said, confused.

"My grandmother on my father's side had the ability to appear to people in dreams." Shizuru smiled. "My father never inherited his power."

"Oh." Natsuki replied, surprised. She'd always imagined Shizuru's parents would be just as powerful as she was. It was hard to imagine that someone so powerful had been born from two people without powers.

"So, what are Natsuki's parents like then?" Shizuru asked. "Are they like you at all?"

Shizuru found it hard to imagine there was more then one person as unusual as Natsuki.

Natsuki smirked. "Everyone says I look like my mom, but other then that not in the least."

"She must be very beautiful." Shizuru said softly. Natsuki looked up slowly to meet her gaze, blushing softly. Shizuru's red eyes met Natsuki's, and for a moment, it seemed as though the rest of the world faded out entirely.

"Oof." Someone grunted as they backed into Shizuru's chair, almost falling over. The sudden movement startled the two girls, and they snapped back into reality. "S..sorry." The boy bowed apologetically and quickly walked away.

Natsuki rolled her eyes, making Shizuru laugh.

"You're parents are very well known are they not?" Shizuru asked Natsuki quickly. She was still blushing faintly from seconds before. She remembered hearing some news about the Kuga tag team a while back. They sounded quite popular to the public.

"I guess so." Natsuki shrugged. "It's kind of hard for me to picture them as heroes or anything cause they're my parents." Natsuki laughed. She found it hard to picture her parents going on all the missions they had. Full accounts were always relayed to her, but she'd never really seen her parents in anything other then a home environment.

"I understand." Shizuru smiled. "So tell me Natsuki... what is normal high school like? I've always wanted to know to be honest."

Natsuki grinned. "Trust me, this school's a lot more interesting. They're actually pretty similar though. The only difference is they don't have power's or operations so they do annoying things like split up the sciences into three different courses."

Shizuru shuddered. "Ara, that sounds absolutely terrible." Natsuki nodded in agreement.

"And everyone's much more annoying." She added as an afterthought. "And they suspend people _way_ to easily!"

That sufficiently perked Shizuru's interest. "Natsuki! You got suspended?!" She laughed, wanting details immediately.

Natsuki sighed. "Yeah but it was never my fault. All three times they came up with stupid rules and things to get me on..."

Shizuru looked at Natsuki to see if she was joking. After a moment she decided the girl, sadly, was not. _Three times?! _Shizuru asked herself. "Ara, what did Natsuki do to upset them so?"

Natsuki sighed. This might take a while.

* * *

"A chair?!" Shizuru repeated. _Ara, that was unexpected._

"Yeah, but he really had it coming." Natsuki argued, making Shizuru laugh with delight.

"I'm sure he did Natsuki." She grinned, mentally playing out the scene in her head. She shifted slightly in her chair, glancing over at the dancing students.

"It seems Reito-san has taken a liking to your friend." Shizuru laughed, gesturing to the dance floor. Natsuki followed to motion, before raising her eyebrows in mild disgust. Mai was slow dancing with the grade 11 boy, her face more then a little flushed because of it.

"I guess so." Natsuki commented, before pausing. "Wait...so... you and him...." She started, not really sure how to phrase things.

"Me and him...." Shizuru coaxed, not sure what the younger girl was getting at.

"You and him...aren't like... a couple or anything?" Natsuki finally asked.

"A...ara...what ever would give you that idea?" Shizuru asked, temporarily stunned. Had Natsuki really believed she and Reito were involved? _Ara maybe I really __**haven't**__ been teasing her enough. She seems to be entirely oblivious._

"Well... it's just... everyone said that you guys would be like... the perfect couple or something." Natsuki replied, still not sure she'd received an answer from the brown haired girl.

Shizuru gave Natsuki an amused smile. "Is that what _you_ believe?"

"Oh, God no!" Natsuki blurted a little too emphatically. Shizuru giggled, and Natsuki blushed. "I...I mean... he's just so..." She squinted, looking back at him and searching for the right word. "... I don't know." Natsuki sighed. "Anyway... so you're not?"

Shizuru laughed. It almost sounded as if Natsuki was worried she was. "No Natsuki." She smiled. "We've yet to cross that bridge."

Natsuki almost sighed with relief. Reito and Shizuru together would just be...wrong somehow. She couldn't really describe it. _Why do I care? _She asked herself, not really sure. The thought of anyone with Shizuru made her stomach clench.

Shizuru and Natsuki continued talking like that. They talked about an assortment of things, their home lives, their friends. Natsuki didn't know how long they had talked for. To her it honestly hadn't seemed like a long time at all. It was so easy, talking to her like this. Natsuki didn't know why Shizuru chose to spend her time with her, but she was thankful she did.

It was strange to her. She'd only known Shizuru for a couple of days, still she felt like she could talk to her about anything.

* * *

"Alright guys." The DJ began. "This is the last dance of the night. I'm going to make it a slow one for you all."

"Ara, I hadn't realized it was this late." Shizuru smiled. She had thoroughly enjoyed talking with Natsuki. She was just so easy to talk to. There were no issues of status or popularity with her. She was just... Natsuki.

The song started playing. Every began slow dancing. Shizuru was immediately envious of them. She would give anything to have one dance with Natsuki.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru asked softly. She knew it was a long shot, but she'd never forgive herself if she didn't at least try.

"Yes?" Natsuki replied, turning once again to face her. She found herself immediately drawn into Shizuru's eyes by the expression on her face. She looked...almost vulnerable, though Natsuki didn't know why.

"Do you..." She paused, wondering if she'd regret this soon after. Swallowing hard, she tried again. "...Would you like to dance Natsuki?" She quietly asked.

Natsuki paused, shocked. _Did... did Shizuru just ask me to dance... with her? _"W..what?" She stuttered, blushing despite herself.

"Well, I just figured we should dance at least once tonight." Shizuru nervously followed up with. "It is a dance after all."

Natsuki uncertainly glanced out onto the dance floor. Chie and Aoi were slow dancing, and no one was staring at them. "I... Um..."

"It's alright if you don't want to Natsuki." Shizuru quickly cut in softly, wanting to save the younger girl as much discomfort as possible. "I understand."

_She looks so sad. _Natsuki found herself thinking. She felt a pang of guilt, that she was the cause.

"No..." Natsuki found herself saying. "No... um... Mai will probably kill me if I don't dance at least once, right?" She laughed nervously.

Shizuru's face lit up with surprise. _Did I imagine that, or did Natsuki really just agree to dance with me? _"A..are you sure?" She asked the younger girl.

Natsuki found herself blushing even harder. "Yeah... it's fine." She quickly replied, getting up. Shizuru, eyes sparkling with quiet joy stood up along side her.

"I...um... I'm not very good though..." Natsuki started, suddenly feeling very nervous.

"That doesn't matter." Shizuru smiled softly. The girl could stomp on her feet through the whole song, she really didn't care. As long as she was dancing with her. Shizuru slowly offered her hand to Natsuki, who took it hesitantly.

Blushing herself, Shizuru led Natsuki onto the dance floor. She turned Natsuki gently around, and encircled her waist with her arms.

Natsuki's blush deepened as she allowed Shizuru to hold her. Wondering what she was supposed to do, she quickly glanced over at Chie and Aoi. Natsuki's blush deepened once again as she timidly put her arms around Shizuru's neck. She slipped her hands under Shizuru's soft hair, not daring to look at Shizuru's face as she did. Shizuru managed to stop herself from gasping at Natsuki's hands brushed gently against the back of her neck.

Natsuki looked up to gage Shizuru's reaction, startled to find the older girl blushing almost as much as she was. Stepping slightly closer to Natsuki, Shizuru began slowly rocking back and forth. Natsuki mimicked her movement, getting the hang of it quickly.

By the end of the song, the two had drifted closer together somehow. Natsuki blushed as her check brushed up against Shizuru's. The song gently faded out, and Shizuru reluctantly let Natsuki go. Natsuki startled herself when she felt disappointed to hear the song end.

Natsuki removed her hands, and stepped back a little, blushing once again. She had no idea what to say to Shizuru after that.

"Ara." Shizuru smiled softly, still blushing fully. "Arigato Natsuki. That was perfect." She almost whispered. Natsuki met her gaze, briefly before looking away.

"Well... um." Natsuki cleared her throat. "I guess I'll see you tommorow then." She said.

"Of course." Shizuru smiled. With that Natsuki walked away, not sure how to identify what she was currently feeling.

Shizuru was left standing alone, unwilling to move.

She never wanted to leave that spot.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!!! Please Review! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks for your awesome reviews guys! I'm glad so many people liked the dance scene! Here's chapter six for you all. Lol, me and my immune system are feeling a lot better now that I've gotten reacquainted with sleep. :D**

**Thanks for reading!!! I hope you enjoy it! :D Please review!!!**

**Chapter #6: Loosing Focus**

**

* * *

**Natsuki lay down on her bed, waiting for her roommates to return from the dance. She didn't know what was taking them so long. The DJ had had played the last song over ten minutes ago.

Natsuki blushed, remembering the song in almost perfect detail. She raised her hand up to touch her still gently tingling cheek. She could almost feel Shizuru's still lingering warmth. _B...baka! _She scolded herself when she realized what she was doing. _What the hell are you doing?!_

Natsuki was grateful for the distraction when Chie and Mai walked into the room laughing.

"Where did you go Natsuki?" Mai asked, glancing over in her direction. "As soon as the dance ended we looked for you, but you just disappeared."

"I hate dances, remember?" Natsuki replied, raising her eyebrows. "Did you really think I'd put in overtime?"

Mai sighed. "Was it really that bad? I saw you talking with Kaichou-san and you two looked like you were having fun."

Natsuki blushed lightly. Mai had seen them talking? "...It was literally the most _boring_ experience of my entire existence." She quickly replied, glaring for effect. Natsuki ignored the fact that it was an outright lie. She _had_ had fun... She just wasn't sure why.

"Well, maybe if you had at least danced with _someone..."_ Mai started, looking slightly exasperated.

Chie opened her mouth to correct Mai. She'd seen Natsuki and Shizuru slow dancing during the last song.

Natsuki paused. _Mai didn't see us dancing? _A wave of relief flooded through her.

"I don't dance Mai." Natsuki glared. "Not with _anybody._"

_Except Shizuru. _She silently reminded herself. What had made her agree to the dance? What had made Shizuru so different from everyone else?

Chie slowly closed her mouth. That wasn't what she'd seen. From the looks of things Natsuki had been having a pretty good time dancing with Shizuru.

Then again, who wouldn't have a good time if the kaichou looked at them the way she had at Natsuki. Chie had almost been tempted to take a picture, the expressions on Natsuki's and Shizuru's faces had been so adorable.

"You didn't dance with... anyone?" Chie asked, trying to confirm that Natsuki didn't want anyone to know.

"What? No, I already told you." Natsuki scoffed. _At least no one saw me. _She told herself. So...why did she feel almost guilty lying about it?

"O..oh." Chie replied, thinking it would probably be best if she dropped the subject entirely. Natsuki obviously didn't want anyone to know.

"So where's Nao?" Natsuki asked, glancing briefly over at the door.

Mai shrugged. "She'll probably be back soon. She usually turns up half an hour late after these things. I'm gonna go use the bathroom." Mai walked off towards the door.

Chie paused, wondering if she should let Natsuki know that she'd seen her dancing. She sighed. She doubted Natsuki would be too thrilled with her. Still, her curious side was dying to know why Natsuki had lied. Was she in denial? Did Shizuru tell her to lie for fear of the fan girls reactions?

"Chie?" Natsuki asked, raising her eyebrows at the charcoal haired girl. "Is something wrong?"

"Huh?" Chie asked. Realizing she'd been staring at the navy haired girl, she winced. "Oh, sorry. I was just... thinking."

"Could you think in another direction?" Natsuki asked, smirking.

Chie sighed, and walked over to her bed. It would be harder then she'd thought to get to the bottom of this. Chie silently vowed to herself that she'd get the job done anyway. Chie Harada _never_ backed down from an investigative challenge.

"I think I'm going to try to get some sleep." Natsuki finally decided. It was almost 10:30, and she'd certainly had a long enough day.

Mai yawned, walking out of the bathroom. "Good plan." She smiled, grabbing her pajamas.

Natsuki decided she'd just sleep in the clothes she was wearing. She was too exhausted to change.

Rolling over, Natsuki gathered the covers up and tossed them on top of herself. She closed her eyes, wishing Mai would turn off the lights soon.

Natsuki started to quickly drift off to sleep. The music from the very last song played softly in her head.

Natsuki tried to ignore the rapid thumping of her heart.

* * *

Shizuru said a brief goodnight to her roommates before sliding into her bed. She rolled over so she was facing the wall and allowed her eyes to slowly drift closed. She smiled softly to herself as she replayed the dance she had shared with Natsuki. She raised her arms up to gently brush against her neck.

She could almost still feel Natsuki's arms wrap around her.

* * *

The next day Natsuki woke up feeling fairly well rested. She and her friends ate breakfast in the cafeteria and attended their first two classes without incident.

Natsuki and Mai managed to disarm their second bomb with 30 seconds to spare, and even managed it _without_ Natsuki's creative method. Nao and Chie weren't so lucky. They cut the wrong wire, and blew themselves up within the first three minutes. Needless to say they weren't in the best of moods after that little slip up.

"Let's just get some food." Nao snapped. "If I look at another bomb I think I really _will_ explode."

Natsuki snickered, not feeling in the least sorry for her friends.

Mai laughed and held open the cafeteria door for her friends. Natsuki grabbed the same food as yesterday, and sat down at the usual table. She grinned to herself as she removed her recently opened jar of mayo from her bag. She grabbed a knife and smeared some on her sandwich. For a long moment, life was perfect.

Shizuru watched with interest from across the cafeteria. _Ara, is she really going to eat... _Shizuru's thoughts of mild disgust were cut off as Natsuki bit down hungrily into the sandwich. _So it would seem. _She smiled to herself, amazed Natsuki could make an act like eating a sandwich look so endearing. Natsuki glanced up as Mai and Nao joined her.

Shizuru quickly turned away, not wanting to be seen. For the moment she was content enough to watch the girl at a distance. Shizuru quickly finished scooping some salad onto her plate and walked towards her awaiting table of friends.

"So what happened with you and Aoi?" Akane asked Chie. "Kazu-kun and I saw you two dancing."

Natsuki looked up. Hopefully they hadn't seen her and Shizuru.

"Well... I got her room number." Chie grinned. "I really like her."

Akane grinned back. "Congratulations Chie."

Natsuki ignored the little exchange and took another chunk out of her sandwich. She almost chocked when a sharp pain hit her side. The sandwich muffled her cry of shock. She looked up, shocked, as Tomoe casually walked by their table towards the exit. Natsuki whirled around, following the movement.

_You are so dead. _Natsuki thought viscously to herself as she studied the small smirk on the older girl's face. She slammed her sandwich down, her heart rate increasing to a dangerously fast pace. Her friends looked up, not realizing what had just happened.

Natsuki concentrated. A thin layer of ice formed beneath the walking girl. It took a moment, but suddenly Tomoe slipped, flying backwards. With a loud thump she landed on her back. There were a few laughs from the people who had witnessed the event.

Mai's eyes widened along with the rest of the tables. This was **not** good. The teal haired girl glanced down furiously at the ground. By the time she looked Natsuki had already evaporated the ice. She painfully got up, knowing that Natsuki had somehow been the cause anyway.

Shizuru glanced over with the rest of her table as a series of laughs rang out across the cafeteria. Her eyes widened in shock as she recognized Tomoe on the ground, mere feet away from Natsuki's table. Shizuru paled, quickly excusing herself from her table. She quickly began walking towards the two girls.

Natsuki smirked in pure satisfaction at the look of shock on Tomoe's face. The teal haired girl brushed off her skirt, giving Natsuki a look of pure venom. The look changed into a small smirk and she began to increase concentration.

Natsuki winced as she felt a dull throbbing start all over her body. She refused to cry out, not willing to give the girl the satisfaction of seeing her scream.

"I do hope you're alright Marguerite-san." A kyoto-ben accent quickly spoke. The pain disappeared. Natsuki, shocked, glanced over at the owner of the voice. Shizuru slowed down, trying to appear calm as she finished the distance between her and the girl.

"S..Shizuru-sama." Tomoe stuttered, temporarily forgetting all about Natsuki. Realizing she had almost been caught in the act, she paled slightly. She smiled once more at Shizuru before quickly walking towards the exit.

Natsuki got up quickly, starting to walk briskly after her. She was already starting to coat her fists with a light layer of ice.

"Let's take a walk Natsuki." Shizuru quickly blocked her way, seeing the look of anger on the girl's face. She glanced down at the girls hands and paled a little more when she realized the girl's intentions. She wouldn't be able to get the younger girl out of trouble a second time.

"What!?" Natsuki growled, trying to get past her.

"Natsuki." Shizuru said quietly forcing the younger girl to meet her gaze. "Please. Let's take a walk."

Natsuki blushed lightly, seeing nothing but concern in the older girl's red eyes.

Mai started breathing again, realizing Shizuru had successfully calmed the situation down.

Chie watched the two girls interact with interest, searching for clues. She knew Shizuru had no restraints about flirting with girls, but was there actually something going on between her friend and the student council president? Sure, Shizuru could flirt with skills even Chie admired, but she was never actually serious about any of it. Here, Chie could tell something was different. The older girl looked genuinely concerned about her partner's well being. Chie casually popped her cellphone into her hand. She could always re-watch later for confirmation.

Natsuki hesitated, still fuming.

"Please?" Shizuru repeated quietly, not letting the navy haired girl look away.

Natsuki felt her anger slowly fade away. She didn't want it to look like she was angry at Shizuru. "...fine." She said finally, and started storming off in the other direction. She growled deeply at the next table. Everyone who had been staring paled instantly and looked down in fear.

Shizuru led Natsuki towards the far exit. When they got out of the building Shizuru turned to Natsuki and smiled.

"Arigato Natsuki. I appreciate your restraint." She said sincerely.

"She started it again." Natsuki grumbled. "I didn't even see that freak until she used her power on me."

"Are you still in pain?" Shizuru asked, hoping the younger girl was alright.

"Nah, she didn't use her power nearly as much as before." Natsuki replied, not wanting to admit she still was in a little pain.

"I really wish you two would just ignore each other." Shizuru sighed. It was a difficult position to be in. She could let Natsuki get hurt, or do something and possibly affect Natsuki's entire future. Shizuru honestly didn't know how much more she could take until she snapped at the teal haired girl.

The two girls walked, aimlessly. They stopped when they got to the large pond on the school grounds. Natsuki sat down on the grass beside it, and lay back. Shizuru smiled, and sat down beside her. It was very peaceful, being here with Natsuki.

"Did your friends enjoy the dance last night?" Shizuru asked, wanted to change the topic.

Natsuki blushed. She'd forgotten entirely about the dance. "Um...yeah I think so." She replied looking away.

Shizuru noticed the change in her behavior. _She must be still embarrassed._

"The dance was fun." Shizuru smiled. "Though I could have done without the long clean up afterwards." Even with the help of her admirers it still took 2 hours to clean up the mess.

"You had to clean up?" Natsuki snickered.

"Ara, of course. As student council president it is one of my jobs to coordinate clean ups."

"And that's why I'm not on the student council." Natsuki grinned. She rolled over so she was facing the brown haired girl.

"That's odd." Shizuru grinned. "I thought the student council was simply too under dressed and over exposed for your liking."

Natsuki blushed lightly, though she couldn't help but grin too. "Hey, I already said I was sorry for that."

"Ara, you're right." Shizuru laughed. "I apologize."

"Hey Shizuru..." Natsuki started. "Why did you become student council president anyway? It just... it doesn't suit you somehow."

Shizuru looked at Natsuki in mild surprise.

"I mean... not that you're not good at it or anything..." Natsuki quickly added. Shizuru smiled, lying back onto the grass.

"There was... a girl I admired on the previous council." Shizuru smiled. "She was so... unaffected by what anyone said about her. Yet everyone loved her because of it."

Natsuki studied Shizuru's face.

"I wanted desperately to be like her." Shizuru smiled softly. "It was only natural that I followed in her footsteps."

"Why would you want be like that?" Natsuki asked. "She sounds so... distant." She finally said, finding the right word.

"Ara, so she was." Shizuru agreed. "That was one of the things I admired most about her." She never needed anyone to trust her, to treat her as an equal.

Shizuru smiled, looking slightly dazed. She remembered wishing she could be so unaffected. She wished she could find a way to just... simply not mind that people felt she couldn't be trusted. She wouldn't have to feel like everyone was too scared to get close to her.

Of course, taking over her position hadn't made any of that come true. It had given her popularity, status, admirers. However, in a way that was almost worse. The mask she was forced to wear had become almost impenetrable.

Maybe in a way that's what drew her to Natsuki so strongly. The very first time they met the younger girl hadn't know who she was. Shizuru had liked being just another girl at a new school. She liked that Natsuki wasn't afraid of her, and she desperately wanted to keep it that way. If that meant restraining herself from her usual teasing, that was a sacrifice she was more then willing to make.

Natsuki sat up, watching Shizuru with interest. Why would Shizuru want to distance herself from others? Natsuki studied her face closely. She looked very pensive. Natsuki sensed that she shouldn't push the issue, like it was something she wasn't supposed to understand. Something about the way Shizuru was looking away from her... it made her look very exposed.

Natsuki stood up quickly, wanting desperately to cheer her partner up. Shizuru followed her movement curiously.

"You can skate, right?" Natsuki asked her, a grin forming on her face.

"I... I can't say that I can, Natsuki." Shizuru replied, more then a little caught of guard by her comment. She had never been skating before, though she'd always admired people who could skate. There was just something so graceful about their movement.

"Well, then..." Natsuki grinned. "I'll just have to teach you." She walked over to the edge of the pond and crossed her arms in concentration. Shizuru watched in amazement as the pond glazed over with a thick layer of ice.

"But... we don't have skates Natsuki." She laughed.

Natsuki scoffed. "Who needs skates?" She asked, running up to the edge and sliding across the pond. She kept her arms out for balance, running off the grass at the other side.

Shizuru laughed, amazed the girl didn't wipe out.

"Come on." Natsuki laughed, sliding back over. She ran up to Shizuru and grabbed her arm, tugging her towards the edge.

"Ara, I doubt I'll be able to do it as gracefully as you can." Shizuru laughed, trying her best to stay safely put on the grass.

"You're not getting out of it that easily." Natsuki grinned, tugging on her arm more persistently. "Come on. I just froze a whole pond for you, what more do you want?"

Shizuru laughed. She allowed Natsuki to drag her closer over to the edge.

"Okay, just run up to the edge and slide." Natsuki instructed. "See?" She said, demonstrating. "Now come on." Natsuki called from the other side.

Shizuru sighed. She had a feeling this wouldn't end well. _Well, I suppose if it'll make Natsuki happy... I'll just have to risk it._

Taking a deep breath, Shizuru took a step back and ran towards the pond. When she got to the edge she did her best to mimic Natsuki's movement. Much to her surprise, she managed to stay upright through the entire trip. She laughed, feeling oddly exhilarated, running off the edge at the other side. Natsuki reached out to steady her, grinning.

"See? Isn't it fun?" Natsuki asked, laughing.

Shizuru laughed. "Ara, I suppose it is." She locked eyes with Natsuki, smiling. For that moment, everything was perfect.

"Come on." Natsuki grinned. She blushed slightly as she grabbed Shizuru's hand and ran towards the edge of the pond.

Shizuru laughed, running to catch up. The two started slid across the pond, hands clenched tightly together.

Unfortunately, it was quite hot out, and the top layer of ice on the pond had already began melting. The top layer of ice was a little wet, making the ice even more slippery then it had been. Shizuru cried out as she slipped, landing softly on her back. Unfortunately for Natsuki, she had still been clasping her hand as she fell. Natsuki was spun around and pulled down on top of her.

"Oof." Natsuki grunted as she started to fall. Shizuru gasped as Natsuki fell down on top of her. She winced at the impact, though Natsuki _was_ quite light.

"S...sorry Shizuru." Natsuki stuttered when she realized where she'd landed. She quickly took her weight off the brunette, placing her hands on either side of Shizuru, and stared down at her.

"A...are you okay?" Natsuki asked, suddenly aware of the intimate pose the two were in. Natsuki was still practically on top of her, and to anyone else it must look like...

Natsuki gulped, looking down at Shizuru's now flushed face.

Shizuru tried to control her blush as Natsuki got up and repositioned herself. The younger girl was making no move to get up. Shizuru blinked, thinking this may be too good to be true, when she realized the navy haired girl was waiting for a response.

"Sh...Shizuru?" Natsuki asked, blushing. How did their faces wind up so close together?!

"I..I'm fine Natsuki, thank you." Shizuru swallowed hard. She could almost feel Natsuki's breath on her face. It competed with the warmth of her blush.

"Are you sure?" Natsuki asked, concerned for her partner. Shizuru laughed. Natsuki looked so worried.

"Ara, I'm fine." She grinned.

Natsuki watched her ruby eyes sparkle as she laughed, blushing as her eyes trailed down to Shizuru's smiling lips. _B...baka! Why are you staring at her mouth!? _Her mind screamed. Natsuki blushed even more, quickly glancing back up at Shizuru to see if she'd noticed. Suddenly her gaze was drawn to the light mist around Shizuru.

Natsuki glanced over, her face taking on a look of pure shock when she realized the mist was really steam.

_Am I doing that?! _She asked herself quickly. She glanced down at the pond, the layer of ice was rapidly disappearing. _Oh my God. _Natsuki panicked, trying frantically to focus on refreezing the ice.

Shizuru studied Natsuki's panicked face. _Is something wrong? _

Suddenly there was a resonating crack.

Natsuki looked down at Shizuru, their faces a mirror image of shock. Neither girl could say a word before they both plunged down into the freezing cold water. By the time the girls came up, gasping for air the ice was entirely gone.

"That was... unfortunate." Shizuru gasped. Natsuki nodded, gasping at the temperature.

"I'm so sorry Shizuru!" Natsuki sputtered. "I...I didn't mean to..."

Shizuru laughed, pulling the younger girl towards the edge of the chest high pond.

"It's quite alright Natsuki. The ice was bound to melt sometime." She laugh, unaware that Natsuki had involuntarily been the one to melt the ice. "That was certainly surprising though."

"I... uh... y..yeah I guess so." Natsuki stuttered, shivering. _What the hell was that? It's like... I couldn't control my power..._

Shizuru laughed. The younger girl looked quite traumatized by the cold. "I suppose we'll have to go change now." She shivered, rubbing her arms.

"Yeah." Natsuki laughed sheepishly., taking off her now soaking jacket. "I'll see you in powers?" She asked.

"Sure." Shizuru smiled. _Is she okay? _Natsuki suddenly looked very concerned for some reason. "...Are you all right Natsuki?" She asked, a little worried.

"What? Yeah...yeah I'm fine." Natsuki laughed. "See you later." Natsuki quickly started walking towards her dorm building, ignoring the stares from various students on the grounds.

Shizuru tried not to watch the way Natsuki's clothes clung to her as she walked. She even blushed slightly. _Ara, I suppose this just saves me from having to have a cold shower. _She grinned to herself. That had actually been quite fun, despite the surprise ending. She'd have to ask Natsuki to do it again sometime.

Adjusting her sopping skirt, Shizuru took off in the direction of the senior dorms, grateful she'd left her room key in her jacket.

* * *

After Natsuki had gotten changed she quickly walked to the other small pond on the school grounds. Taking a deep, nervous breath, she concentrated. The lake froze almost effortlessly. _So...why couldn't I control my power before?_ Was there a time limit on how long she could keep something frozen?

Natsuki spent the next ten minutes sitting by the lake, picking grass. The ice hadn't melted at all. Natsuki sighed, getting up. She quickly turned the ice into steam and walked back towards the main building. Her friends were surprised by how long she was gone for, but nevertheless were glad to see she'd calmed down.

* * *

Natsuki fidgeted all through science. She had no clue what her teacher was talking about, and honestly didn't really care. She resolved to ask her powers teacher about the previous incident, at least that way she wouldn't have to explain what happened to her friends. Not that she'd tell Midori all the details either.

"Well that was an interesting class." Mai grinned as they walked out.

"Definitely." Chie grinned. "Who knew cells were so small?"

Nao smirked. Together the four friends made their way to their powers class.

* * *

Natsuki blushed as she entered the locker room. Shizuru was just pulling up her shorts. When she turned, Natsuki quickly looked away, and started getting dressed.

Shizuru smiled when she realized Natsuki had arrived. Trying not to stare as the girl undressed, she made her way out to the main room, blushing faintly.

Natsuki watched Shizuru leave, and finished dressing quickly. She waited patiently for her friends, finally grabbing Chie when she realized she was just dressing slowly so she could check out her partner.

"Okay, okay. I'm coming." Chie grinned, waving to Aoi as she left. Natsuki took a seat on the grade 10 side, a little surprised to see both Midori, her powers teacher, and Yohko, her operations teacher.

"Everyone here?" Midori asked after people finished sitting down. "Great." She beamed. "So, I'm sure you're all wondering why your operations teacher is here. Well, Yohko-chan won't be staying for long. She just wanted to be here to help announce the begging of..." Midori paused, creating a sense of suspense. "... the power ops!" She cried, throwing her arms up in the air.

Natsuki smirked as she saw her operations teacher laugh quietly at Midori.

"Yohko-chan." Midori bowed, gesturing for her to take over.

Their operations teacher grinned, walking up to the front. "Hello everyone. I'm sure most of the grade tens have probably already heard something about the power ops before. Grade elevens, you of course have already experienced them. Basically they're weekly challenges we'll be assigning during your powers class time. These challenges will be a test of skills you've acquired both during Powers and Operations class. They can either involve group work or single challenges, depending on the task. I just came down to tell you all that we've decided the power ops will be held on Fridays this year, so be sure to train hard for them."

Midori beamed at the explanation. "So you see students, the challenges will be especially exciting this year, due to our cooperative efforts. We've already planned out the first task. I'm sure you'll all love it." She grinned.

"Okay." Yohko smiled. "I'll see you in Operations then." She waved to Midori who jokingly saluted her, and walked towards the door.

"Alright then. Get partnered up and go continue with your training." Midori ordered. "I'll be around to see the other half of the room today."

Natsuki got up and walked up to Shizuru.

"I'll go get the equipment." Shizuru said. "I think we'll continue working on kicks today."

Natsuki nodded, wondering how she'd find a way to talk to her teacher without Shizuru asking questions. "Actually..." Natsuki started before Shizuru could walk off. "...I'll go get the boxing pads this time. That's all you wanted right?" She asked.

"For the moment." Shizuru smiled. "Arigato Natsuki."

Natsuki smiled, nervously walking over to their teacher.

"Sensei?" She asked, realizing how awkward this could turn out.

"Kuga. What's up?" Midori asked.

"Um... well..." Natsuki gulped. "I was ...uh...wondering if you'd ever heard of someone not being able to... control their powers before. Like...just temporarily, but...uh...have you?" She asked, mentally kicking herself for being so un-smooth.

Her read headed teacher studied her face for a moment. "You mean like being able to use them effectively, or doing the wrong thing?" She clarified.

"Yeah." Natsuki replied, blushing a little.

"Oh, sure. All the time." Midori grinned. Was Kuga blushing? "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I was just wondering." Natsuki crossed her arms. "But... you've heard of it happening?"

"Yep. It's actually pretty common." Midori replied. "Well, if you think about it... your powers are tied to mental activation right?"

Natsuki nodded slowly. "Y...yeah."

"So, when some people loose concentration they loose control of their power." Midori explained. "For example, if you're particularity afraid, or distracted it can mess you up sometimes." Midori paused, then laughed. "Heck, even sexual arousal can make you slip up. Talk about embarrassing, huh?"

Natsuki's face turned a dangerously red color. "C..can I use the boxing pads?" Natsuki quickly blurted, needing to get away fast.

"Sure Kuga." Midori grinned. Natsuki quickly walked away, glancing over at the wall so no one could see her face. She quickly walked into the supply room and closed the door behind her. _S...sexual arousal...?! _Surely that couldn't be the case... right?!

Natsuki blushed even more. The very fact that she was entertaining the thought made her go red in the face. She definitely didn't feel that way about Shizuru. _Hello? We're both girls! _Natsuki's mind screamed at her. Natsuki blushed even harder when she realized she'd been staring at Shizuru's lips when everything started melting.

Natsuki immediately dismissed the thoughts, trying to control her facial color. _Just calm down Natsuki. _She told herself. _You were just distracted cause you fell... that's all. _Natsuki sighed, relieved. That did make sense, didn't it? And her teacher _had_ told her serious distraction could cause something like that to happen.

Natsuki groaned. This was too embarrassing. She glanced around the the shelves, finding a box labeled 'boxing pads'. Natsuki quickly grabbed the two on top, hoping Shizuru wouldn't notice how long she was gone for.

She quickly placed a hand on her face, trying to determine how badly she was blushing. She sighed, she couldn't very well just stay here for the whole class.

Natsuki took a deep breath before walking out of the room. She attempted to casually walk over to where Shizuru was waiting, and handed her the pads.

"Arigato." Shizuru smiled, putting them on. Natsuki blushed softly. _Stay calm Natsuki. _She reminded herself. She took one look at Shizuru in her very well fitting uniform and gulped. Sure, Shizuru was gorgeous. Everyone knew that... that was one of the main reasons why she had so many fans. Surely just acknowledging that didn't make her...

"Are you ready Natsuki?" Shizuru snapped the younger girl out of her train of thoughts.

"Y..yeah. Sure." Natsuki replied stepping back. She began a series off kick, following Shizuru's instructions.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru asked. "I want you to try doing multiple kicks with each leg. Don't lower your foot all the way down between kicks, but pull back all the way before kicking again."

Natsuki nodded, starting with her right. It took a little time before she could do it without almost falling over.

Midori came along half way through the class. She was impressed with Natsuki's improvement in such a short time period. She told Shizuru to keep doing what ever she was doing and happily walked over to the next group. By the time Midori instructed everyone to pack up, Natsuki's legs felt like they were going to fall off.

"You did very well today." Shizuru smiled at Natsuki. Natsuki blushed faintly, though she knew she had no reason to. "I think tommorow we'll move onto holds so you can give your legs a break." Shizuru laughed.

Natsuki nodded rubbing her legs. "Sure." She replied. "I'll put the pads back I guess."

She smiled at Shizuru before grabbing the pads and walking over to the storage room. Quickly tossing them into the box, she walked back to the locker room to meet up with her friends.

Natsuki blushed heavily when she saw Shizuru putting on her shirt. Luckily the older girl was facing away, and couldn't see her.

Natsuki walked over to her bag, glancing back at Shizuru once again. She didn't feel anything... right? Shizuru was just getting changed. It was no big deal. Natsuki blushed harder and gave up on trying to reassure herself. She quickly threw on her uniform and walked out with her friends.

Chie quickly walked out after her, blushing furiously at what she'd just witnessed.

Had Natsuki _really_ just watched Shizuru getting dressed?

* * *

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys! :D Taaa daaa: Chapter 7!!!**

**Thanks again to all my reviews and readers!!! I really hope you guys enjoy and continue to review/read...or both...that works too lol.**

**PS: Has anyone noticed that I really really suck at chapter titles? (lol, never mind...please don't answer, I don't want to know) :D**

**Chapter 7: Power Ops (Part #1)**

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* * *

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The next morning Natsuki once again woke up 20 minutes past when she should have. Her friends were already dressed and waiting, unamused looks plastered on their faces.

"Every time." Mai muttered, shaking her head sadly.

Nao smirked. "Why don't we just leave her? She's awake anyway, and I'm kinda starving here guys."

"Oh go claw yourself." Natsuki muttered, making Nao grin. Natsuki slowly got up, brushing her long hair back from her face and slowly opening her eyes.

Chie grinned. "Look guys..." She turned to Nao and Mai. "...why don't you go on ahead and start eating. I'll wait for her."

Natsuki looked up, a little surprised. "You know I am capable of dressing myself." She glared at Chie. "You can all leave, I'll meet up with you later.

"Seriously Mai, take Nao and go eat." Chie smiled. "I don't mind staying."

"Are you sure?" Mai asked, trying to ignore her stomach's persistent growling. "I'd feel kind of bad."

"Go." Chie laughed, opening the door open for them.

Nao blinked. "Fine with me." She replied, walking out and down the hallway.

Mai sighed. "Okay, okay. Thanks Chie." She jogged down the hallway in quick pursuit.

"I'm gonna go get dressed." Natsuki yawned, still barely conscious. She grabbed her discarded uniform and stumbled her way into the bathroom. A couple minutes later a slightly more conscious Natsuki stumbled back out again.

She walked over to her nightstand and started running a comb quickly through her hair.

"Hey Natsuki..." Chie started casually, hoping what she was about to say wouldn't blow up in her face.

"Huh?" Natsuki asked, glancing over quickly. She threw the comb down on her bed and walked over to her bag.

"I...I was just wondering... um..." Chie rubbed her head sheepishly. "...I noticed you were kind of acting... strangely yesterday... during powers I mean." She finished, watching the navy haired girl carefully for a reaction.

Natsuki paused, her math textbook half shoved into her back. Chie saw her tense up briefly, and gulped. The body language wasn't too good.

"W..what do you mean?" Natsuki asked defensively. _Just stay calm. _She told herself, trying not to get too nervous. _Why would Chie know anything? She wasn't even at the pond. _

"Well..." Chie started, trying not to sound too accusing. The last thing she wanted to do was to make Natsuki feel alienated. "...I was just wondering how things were going... between you and Fujino-san."

Natsuki's face flushed involuntarily. Where was Chie getting this from?! "W..what do you mean?" Natsuki laughed, letting her hair fall down to partially obstruct her face. She finished quickly putting her textbooks away. She really didn't want to be alone with Chie all of a sudden.

"Look, Natsuki..." Chie's voice softened. "...I'm really sorry if I'm prying here..."

"You are." Natsuki replied, looking up at her friend. Her voice sounded a little harsher then she'd meant it to, and she instantly regretted speaking at all. Chie registered what she'd said, and couldn't help feeling a little hurt.

"Natsuki , I'm sorry." Chie replied softly. "Hey, you know me right, it's an unstoppable urge." She grinned.

Natsuki shook her head when she couldn't help but grin back. It wasn't Chie's fault. She _had_ been acting weirdly.

"Nah, it's fine." Natsuki smiled. "I just... I wasn't feeling very well." She cleared her throat, feeling guilty for lying. "Was it really that obvious?" She asked nervously. _Did... did Shizuru notice something was wrong?!_

"What?" Chie asked. "Oh, no, not at all." She grinned. "Hey, if I'd eaten as much mayo as you did I'd have felt sick too." She laughed, making Natsuki grin.

Chie hesitated. She should have known it would take a bit more work to get Natsuki to open up to her. The navy haired girl could be _way_ to stubborn for her own good.

"Hey, Natsuki?" Chie asked. "If you ever need someone to talk to... about anything, okay?"

"I know, I know." Natsuki grinned. "Talk to Nao."

Chie laughed, knowing she'd gotten her point across anyway. "Exactly. Now come on. Were not going to get to eat." She hurriedly ushered Natsuki out the door.

Natsuki couldn't help but blush slightly as her mind flashed back to Shizuru. Chie's concern _did_ mean a lot to her.

There were just some things she'd have to figure out first.

* * *

"Well, that was certainly more fun then yesterday." Nao smirked, feeling a sense on immense satisfaction. Chie grinned. They had finally succeeded in art of bomb disabling... this time without the unfortunate side effect of blowing themselves up.

"Congrats guys." Mai grinned.

"Yeah, Mai and I were starting to get worried you guys would never get it right." Natsuki smirked, ignoring Nao who grinned and stuck up her middle claw. Chie and Mai laughed at the gesture.

"Hey Natsuki..." Mai began. "I was thinking... why don't we eat outside today? It's nice out."

Natsuki raised her eyebrows, seeing right through the red head's attempt at avoiding further incidents like yesterday's.

"Mai, we're not eating outside." Natsuki glared. "I can handle that freak if she comes up to me again."

"That's not what I'm worried about." Mai replied, not wanting to hurt her friend's pride. "Fujino-san isn't always going to be there to calm you down. And one of these day's you _are_ goingto get in trouble."

"No, _Tomoe _is going to get into trouble." Natsuki glared. "Trust me on that one."

Mai had a feeling she wasn't talking about the kind of trouble where you're weren't allowed to go to class for two days.

"I really just think it's best if we avoid her entirely." Mai pleaded. "Please?"

"Why should _we_ have to move?!" Natsuki glared. "No. No way." She shook her head, walking defiantly into the cafeteria.

"Thanks for the help guys." Mai raised her eyebrows at Chie and Nao. Chie laughed sheepishly.

"We don't really want to get on the ice princesses' bad side." Nao grinned.

"Ice princess?" Mai asked, laughing.

"Chie overheard some grade nines talking about her. Apparently it's her new nickname."

Nao smirked. "She's quite famous."

"I wouldn't tell that to her." Mai grinned.

"My lips are sealed." Chie grinned. Together the three friends walked into the cafeteria and grabbed their food.

Natsuki piled on some fries, and grabbed her usual sandwich. Mai walked over to her, already done.

"You ready?" Mai asked. Natsuki nodded, grabbing a drink. Together they started to walk over to their usual spot.

"Ara, that's not what I heard."

The sound of faint laughter followed.

Natsuki froze, glancing straight ahead. _Why is Shizuru over here!? _Her mind screamed. Shizuru and her friends were sitting beside their table like nothing was wrong. Their usual table was on the other side of the cafeteria!

"Natsuki?" Mai asked, waiting for her friend.

Shizuru reacted to the name, glancing up. Deep red eyes met Natsuki's instantly. Natsuki blushed faintly, trying not to drop her tray in surprise.

Shizuru slowly put down her fork, smiling warmly at the younger girl. "Hello Natsuki." She said softly.

"What are you doing over here?" Natsuki demanded, closing the distance. The whole table including Shizuru blinked in mild surprise.

_Is she upset with me for some reason? _Shizuru asked herself, her chest tightening in worry. "We decided a change in location would be rather refreshing." Shizuru smiled, studying the look on Natsuki's face. Natsuki didn't look amused.

"Oh really?" She glared, crossing her arms.

"Is something wrong with that Ice-girl?" Haruka glared back. Who did this girl think she was. She was talking to the president for God's sake.

"Who're you?" Natsuki grunted, staring at the blond.

"Natsuki." Shizuru quickly blurted before things got out of hand. Neither Natsuki nor Haruka had considerable self-restraint. "I was just going up to get another drink. Would you join me?" She raised her eyebrows, a hint of a smile playing on her face.

Natsuki blushed, covering it up quickly with a glare. "Fine." She said finally, moving out of the way so Shizuru could get up.

Mai watched the exchange in shock. She was grateful when Chie and Nao joined her. They sat down quickly, trying not to stare as Shizuru led Natsuki over to the food tables.

"Shizuru seriously I don't need your protection." Natsuki said, exasperated.

"What if I just like your company?" Shizuru asked softly. Natsuki blushed.

"Shizuru!" She cried out, trying not to think back to what her power's instructor had told her. "We both know that's _not_ why you moved." The two girls stopped as Shizuru grabbed a can of iced tea.

"Perhaps not." Shizuru replied softly, locking eyes with Natsuki. "But, I would be lying if I said that wasn't true." _Stop Shizuru. _She commanded herself mentally. She hadn't meant it to come out sounding that way.

Natsuki blushed, her heart rate increasingly rapidly She quickly looked away, studying the various array of drinks on the table in front of them. _Baka. She didn't mean anything like that._

Natsuki's mind flashed back to the ice incident. Natsuki glanced up slowly, eyes falling on Shizuru's faintly smiling lips. Natsuki's blush intensified, and she quickly looked down again.

"I..." Shizuru hesitated. _What are you doing to me Natsuki? _"...I just don't want you to get hurt." Shizuru replied, trying for once to let the truth show itself.

Natsuki raised her head to study Shizuru's expression. She was caught a little off guard by how sincere Shizuru looked. Her anger slowly faded as if it never existed, and she let out the breath she'd been holding in gently. _What is she doing to me? _She asked herself desperately, trying to ignore the way her chest ached.

"I'm sorry Natsuki. I figured this way Marguerite-san wouldn't be able to get close enough to hurt you again." Shizuru blushed faintly. She felt almost ashamed of her concern.

_What right do you have to feel this way? _Shizuru reminded herself, lowering her gaze quickly. _You know this is something that can never take place._

"No..." Natsuki's expression softened. "It's..." She hesitated. "...Arigato." She said quietly, trying desperately to control her blush.

Shizuru blushed gently, glancing up again at the younger girl. She wasn't sure she trusted what she'd just heard.

"We should probably go back now." Natsuki quickly added, hoping Shizuru couldn't see how much she was blushing. Why was Shizuru the only one who could make her anger fade away like that?

"O..of course." Shizuru smiled. "Shall we then?"

Natsuki nodded, trying desperately not to glance up at Shizuru's lips. The two girls walked back together, and sat down at different tables.

Natsuki ignored the looks everyone at their tables were giving them. She couldn't stop herself from glancing over quickly at Shizuru's table as she sat down. Shizuru, almost as if sensing her gaze, looked up to meet her eyes. Natsuki blushed, inhaled sharply, and looked away quickly.

Chie almost sighed. Who would _voluntarily_ keep themselves that oblivious? Natsuki needed serious help. Chie casually glanced over at the faint blush on Shizuru's face. Chie had to admit _that_ was a shock, coming from the most admired high school student at Fuuka. They both seemed to have a similar effect on each other...

And **clearly** to Chie they _both_ needed help. This would be a lot more work then she'd anticipated. However, hopefully with a little push in the right direction this would sort itself out.

* * *

After a _very _thorough science lesson on human reproduction, Natsuki was eternally grateful when Powers time came.

She held the door open for her friends and walked casually into the changing room. Natsuki glanced around the room quickly. It didn't take long to spot Shizuru getting dressed. Natsuki blushed. _What the hell are you doing!? Proving Midori right? _She frantically asked herself.

She angrily turned around and threw her bag onto the bench. This was going to drive her insane. _You're not into girls! _She practically screamed at herself. _So why are you watching Shizuru get dressed?! _Natsuki ripped off her jacket angrily.

Chie casually cleared her throat to let Natsuki know she was acting a little strangely. Natsuki, realizing people could see her clearly, blushed and started carefully folding her jacket.

Shizuru heard someone clear their throat. She quickly glanced up, making sure no one wanted her attention. Her eyes immediately rested on Natsuki, who teasingly pulled her shirt over her head. Shizuru could feel her cheeks slowly heat up as her heart rate increased. Turning back to the wall, she closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. This wasn't good. It was getting increasingly hard to maintain her composure.

Both Shizuru and Natsuki finished getting dressed quickly. When everyone had finished and were seated outside they were allowed to begin.

"Oh, and remember guys." Midori grinned. "Power op number 1 takes place tommorow. Go to it."

Shizuru walked over to Natsuki. "We shouldn't need the pads today." She smiled.

"Okay." Natsuki replied, mentally kicking herself for feeling so nervous. There was absolutely nothing to be nervous about. She didn't have feelings for Shizuru, and besides, Shizuru _definitely_ didn't have feelings for her. _So why do I start trembling every time she looks me in the eyes?_

"So, I was thinking we should start off with some basic defense moves first." Shizuru started, feeling more then a little nervous. _Remain calm. _She instructed herself. _You are perfectly in control of your own actions, and you will do your best not to make her uncomfortable._

"Let's begin with a choke-hold then." Shizuru cleared her throat. "May I?" She asked, gesturing.

"You're not going to... actually choke me right?" Natsuki clarified. Shizuru laughed, making Natsuki's heart skip a beat.

"Of course not. I'm simply going to demonstrate." She grinned. She gently put her arms on the younger girl's neck, ignoring the intensity of Natsuki's blush. She felt a pang of guilt. She was making her uncomfortable.

"Now, raise your right arm..." Shizuru began. "And I want you to turn your body to the side, using your arm to break the connection. Do you understand?"

Natsuki nodded, practicing what she'd just been told.

"Good." Shizuru replied, smiling. "Now, choke holds from behind are increasingly difficult to get out of." Shizuru winced internally as she slipped behind the younger girl and placed the crook of her elbow carefully under her chin.

Natsuki shivered when Shizuru gently brushed her hair out of the way. She carefully grabbed Shizuru's arm, ready to pull it off. Shizuru stepped closer to get a better hold. Natsuki breathed in sharply. She could feel Shizuru press gently against her. Natsuki closed her eyes slowly, trying to calm herself down. Why did Shizuru feel so warm?

Shizuru blushed as Natsuki grabbed her arm gently. "That probably wouldn't work Natsuki." She told her. "I want you to shift your weight forward so that you keep proper balance alright?" She asked, pulling back gently on the younger girl.

Natsuki did her best, but she felt like she was going to fall over.

"Don't worry." Shizuru laughed softly. "I've got you."

Natsuki blushed, but felt oddly reassured. She felt strangely secure, being held so closely.

"Now... lean forward." Shizuru instructed. "You may have to spread your legs to help lower your center of gravity."

Both girls blushed and tried to ignore the fact that Shizuru had just practically told Natsuki to spread her legs.

_Calm down Natsuki. Totally, completely __**not**__ what she meant!_

_Ara, I __**really**__ hope she didn't take __**that**__ the wrong way._

"Like this?" Natsuki asked, leaning forward. She felt herself pull Shizuru forward as she leaned.

"Perfect." Shizuru replied, her voice sounding unintentionally hoarse. "Now, in order to get me to loosen my hold, you're going to have to lean to one side and jab your elbow into my side."

"What!?" Natsuki asked, shocked. "I don't want to hurt you!"

Shizuru couldn't help but laugh softly. Natsuki blushed, realizing she'd definitely over reacted.

"Arigato Natsuki. However, you'll never get out unless you at least try." She replied, grinning.

Natsuki sighed, wincing as she slammed her elbow into Shizuru's side. Shizuru, who hadn't actually been expecting her to do it until she instructed, stifled a gasp of pain, and let the younger girl go.

"Hey, it worked." Natsuki grinned.

"Ara, quite well." Shizuru laughed, rubbing her side.

"Sorry." Natsuki replied quickly, wincing.

Shizuru grinned. "It's nothing."

The rest of the period was spent pretty much the same way. By the end of the lesson, both girls were finding it equally hard to keep their concentration.

"Get out of my sight." Midori grinned. "But... when you return... be prepared students for the very... first..." By the time she'd gotten to the climactic part of her sentence everyone was already gone. Midori sighed. _Kids today._

Chie watched, slightly impressed, from her corner of the changing room as Shizuru and Natsuki raced to get dressed. _Hmm, now __**that's**__ tension for you. How do they sleep at night? _

Chie thankfully managed to restrain herself from popping out her camera phone.

Such things usually weren't appreciated in locker rooms... well... by other people that was.

* * *

"So, are you ready for the power ops?" Mai asked in a dramatic voice as they walked to their lunch table the next day. Nao snickered, and plopped down beside her.

"I still have no clue what those are." Natsuki grinned.

"I don't think we're really supposed to." Mai laughed. "It's supposed to be a surprise or something to test our adaptability.

Chie snorted at the surprise part.

"Chie?" Mai asked, grinning. "You know something?!"

"So what if I do?" Chie grinned. "I know everything that goes on in this school."

"Spill it!" Mai demanded.

"Nah, I can't. If you people really haven't heard anything about it, I don't want to spoil the surprise."

"Chie!" Everyone at the table cried. Chie ducked for cover, grinning.

"Okay, okay... I know it involves explosives." She said finally.

"Explosives?" Nao asked, narrowing her eyes. "I hate my life."

"I hate it too." Natsuki smirked. Nao gave a faked look of shock, and they both laughed.

"Well, I guess that kind of does make sense. I mean what else have we been learning in operations, right?" Mai asked.

"Exactly." Chie grinned, grabbing a fry off her plate.

There was laughing at a nearby table. Natsuki glanced up, her eyes searching for Shizuru. Shizuru was laughing at something Reito had said. Natsuki watched the way she brushed her hair out of her eyes, blushing faintly.

"Natsuki?" Mai asked, waving her hand in front of the navy haired girl's face. "You still with us?"

"Yep." Natsuki snapped quickly out of her trance. "Don't know why though. Are you guys _really_ still talking about school?"

"Hey, power ops are worth a huge amount of marks." Mai argued.

"Oh no." Nao gasped, making Natsuki smirk.

After much discussion Natsuki managed to get out that power ops were almost like games. Two sides, two different motives, one set of winners.

* * *

By the time they got out of science class Natsuki had to admit she was curious.

_Does Shizuru know what's going to happen? _She wondered, then decided she probably did. Shizuru was the type of person who was prepared for everything.

"Let's go." Mai laughed, grabbing Nao and running. Nao smirked, but followed anyway. Chie grinned at Natsuki and took off after them.

Natsuki sighed. Was she **really** going to run to class? They'd got out of science a bit early, so no one was really around. Only after she'd glanced around to confirm she was alone did Natsuki break out into a run. Even then it was more of a casual jog.

Natsuki glanced around the locker room when she got in. It was refreshingly...empty. Natsuki double checked. Shizuru wasn't there yet. Natsuki breathed out a sigh of relief she she didn't know she'd been holding, and quickly got changed.

"Come on Kuga." Nao called at the door. "I know how much you want to get to class early."

Natsuki smirked. "Thanks for your concern." She finished folding her shirt and walked out to join everyone.

Midori walked in, freezing when she saw students there so early.

"Huh." She grunted, then beamed when she realized what they were here for. "You guys are here for power op number one?!" She grinned. "Bonus marks for you all."

Mai grinned. Natsuki rolled her eyes.

A few minutes later the rest of their class had joined them. Natsuki couldn't help but smile faintly at Shizuru as she sat down.

Shizuru glanced up, and smiled warmly in her direction. _Is she happy to see me? _Shizuru asked herself, her heart beating faster.

"Come in Yohko-chan!" Midori grinned, grabbing the operations teacher by the arm and dragging her up to the front. Yohko laughed, quickly clearing her throat.

"Would you like to begin?" She asked Midori.

"Sure." Midori laughed. "Alright students. This is it. For some of you this is your very first power op. So, we've decided to go a little easy on you guys. Listen very carefully, cause I'm not going to repeat myself. Debriefing starts now." She paused before continuing. "Today's power op will be done in partners. I figured it'll be kind of like an ice breaker thing." She shrugged.

Natsuki choked at the word choice,her mind flashing back to the unfortunate pond incident the day before. She glanced over at Shizuru who met her gaze evenly before erupting into quiet laugher. Natsuki couldn't help but grin.

"Anyway, each set of partners will receive one picture. This picture will be of the individual you must track down, and what eighth of the school they can be found in. We've divided the school into sections so your task isn't impossible. After ten minutes, simulating really _really_ abbreviated interrogation time, this individual will reveal the location of a bomb." After that, she gestured to Yohko to continue.

Yohko smiled. "Each bomb is guarded by another individual. That individual is equipped with a portable detonator. If they determine bomb disablement is imminent, they have instructions to detonate, killing all in the surrounding area. They may try to escape with their lives, but the bomb detonators only have a 20 foot radius. You must stop them from detonating the bomb, and disable it before it goes off." The operations teacher took a big breath before continuing.

"The surrounding areas will be covered with cameras so we can see what's going on. Now, when we say the individual guarding the bomb will do anything to ensure it goes off at the right time, we mean it. You may be forced into a fight. Powers are allowed, but if anyone comes back with serious injuries, who ever is the cause will be in **extreme** trouble. Is that understood by everyone?" She asked seriously.

Everyone nodded, trying to process all the information.

"Now, as you may have guessed we've asked the two grade 12 classes to participate as your opponents. They will have more experience then you, so this won't be easy. Does anyone have any questions?" She asked, glancing around the room. No one put up their hands.

"Alright then!" Midori grinned. "We have earpieces for partners over here." She grabbed a large box. "Touch the blue button on the side to talk to your partner, and the red one to get wired directly to us. Should there be an emergency you'll need it." Midori glanced around the room grinning. "So, everyone come up and get wired, and then I'll tell you when you can go. Oh, and first group back to succeed gets a prize." She finished.

Yohko glanced at her with her eyebrows raised. Midori sighed.

"Okay, fine. There's no prize. But... you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you kicked everyone else's buts!" She grinned.

Everyone groaned.

"Have you noticed that our powers teacher is insane?" Natsuki asked Mai quietly.

"Oh, of course." Mai grinned. "Why do you think they picked her?"

"Okay." Yohko laughed. "Everyone meet up with your partner and get in line."

Everyone quickly got up, wanting to avoid the long line up. Natsuki walked over to Shizuru, grinning slightly.

"Are you excited?" Shizuru laughed. Natsuki blushed slightly, though she did know what she meant.

"Oh, definitely." Natsuki grinned. "You know we have to come in first, right?" She asked.

Shizuru laughed. "Ara, what high expectations."

"Oh come on Shizuru." Natsuki laughed. "Don't you want to win the non-existent prize?"

_Being your partner is the prize. _Shizuru thought, but managed to stop herself from saying it.

Shizuru nodded, grinning. "You're right Natsuki. I suppose we _will_ have to win. Agreed?" Shizuru asked holding out her hand to the younger girl.

Natsuki locked eyes with the brown haired girl. "...Agreed..." She said softly, taking Shizuru's hand. "...Shizuru."

Shizuru blushed faintly, her heart racing from the touch alone. Shizuru held the younger girl's hand for longer then she should have, but Natsuki made no move to pull away.

Natsuki's grin faded slowly to a gentle smile. She looked down at their clasped hands with a slight look of confusion, before her eyes trailed slowly up to meet Shizuru's.

Both girls blushed quickly, pulling their hands away reflexively.

Neither Natsuki nor Shizuru was quite sure what had just happened. They both quickly turned back to face the front.

Shizuru carefully smoothed out her skirt, sneaking one last glance in Natsuki's direction.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Here's chapter 8!!! Wow, I was honestly surprised how fun it was to write this. :D**

**Lol, I love writing action scenes.**

**I hope you enjoy!!! Please review! :D**

* * *

**Chapter #8: Power Ops (Part # 2)**

"Fujino, Kuga." Midori nodded as the two girls took a step forward. Yohko handed them each an ear piece.

"Here, these are already set to the same frequency. Remember, the blue button is for partners, the red one is for us." Yohko smiled.

Natsuki nodded, grabbing her ear piece and hooking it over her ear.

"And..." Midori began, picking out a photo from her folder. "I have just the pair of grade twelves for you." She grinned at Shizuru. "Even you should have fun with these two Fujino."

Shizuru raised her eyebrows, and took the picture from their teacher. "Arigato Sensei." Shizuru replied, walking away. Natsuki walked quickly after her.

"Hey, let me see it!" Natsuki called after her. She quickly caught up and ripped the picture out of her partner's hands.

"Ara, what impatience." Shizuru sighed, smiling slightly.

Natsuki examined the picture. The girl in the picture looked like any other grade twelve to her. She was fairly thin with black hair and blue eyes.

"Do you know her?" Natsuki asked, handing the picture back to Shizuru. For a moment their fingers brushed. Natsuki blushed, pulling away quickly.

"I...I'm afraid not." Shizuru replied, glancing down at the girl once more.

"Yeah, well she's probably really powerful or something." Natsuki sighed. "Our teacher totally gave us the worst one just to spite us... or should I say _you_."

"Are you implying something?" Shizuru asked, grinning.

"You know if you weren't always so perfect, we'd get a normal kid." Natsuki grinned back, stepping closer and crossing her arms.

Shizuru laughed, feeling a faint blush rise to her cheeks. "Arigato Natsuki. I'm very flattered."

Natsuki blushed and scowled quickly. "It wasn't a compliment you know."

Shizuru laughed. "It looks as if we'll be starting soon." Shizuru replied, an amused look on her face. She gestured over to the quickly shrinking line.

"It's about time." Natsuki sighed. "We're not going to have enough time to pull this off if we don't start soon."

"You shouldn't worry so much." Shizuru smiled softly. Natsuki glared over in her direction making the older girl laugh. "Though you should probably go get changed." Shizuru added, glancing down at Natsuki's powers uniform.

"What?" Natsuki asked, glancing down. "Why?" She looked over at Shizuru, realizing the older girl was wearing her ordinary uniform. "What?! Shizuru, why didn't you change?"

Shizuru grinned. "Natsuki, our first task is to find this individual, correct?"

Natsuki blinked. "Yeah..." She crossed her arms. "So...you decided she'd be more likely to stop for us if you were wearing a skirt?"

Shizuru laughed harder, but regained her composure quickly. "Natsuki, this girl knows someone will be searching for her. She won't know who we are specifically, however she knows the two people looking for her will be coming from powers class. How do you think she'll react when she sees us in our uniforms?"

Natsuki paused taking everything in. "Wow. Good catch." She grinned. _Was she somehow born with all this knowledge?_

Shizuru smiled, a light blush on her face.

"Come on then." Natsuki grinned, walking over to the locker room. "I'll get changed quickly."

"...I'll wait for you out here." Shizuru blushed, exercising her self-control. _She really wouldn't mind me going in with her?_

Natsuki blushed, realizing she'd practically invited Shizuru to watch her get dressed.

"Y..yeah. I'll try to be fast." Natsuki replied, giving herself a mental slap. _She's going to think you're insane! _Natsuki sighed. _Get it together Natsuki. It just was a stupid mistake._

Natsuki quickly threw her skirt on over top of her shorts. They were tight fitting enough you couldn't really tell, and Natsuki really didn't think it was a good idea to be running up and down stairs in a skirt alone. She quickly tossed her FANG shirt aside and ran out. She didn't want to get out and find everyone had already left.

Shizuru stood up from the wall when Natsuki came out.

"All ready then?" Shizuru asked, smiling at the younger girl

"Yep. So, hey... what does our area cover?" Natsuki asked, glancing down at the picture. Shizuru flipped over the picture, and glanced at the map.

"The forum, part of the grounds and classrooms 1-14." Shizuru replied. Natsuki nodded, trying to make a mental note of it.

"Hey, Shizuru?" Natsuki asked, walking closer to her partner. "I was thinking... you have access to records of all students and their powers right?"

"Yes." Shizuru replied, raising her eyebrows.

"Well what if we looked this girl up, you know...found out her power and name. It could come in handy right?" Natsuki asked, blushing a little at the look Shizuru was giving her.

"That's an excellent idea Natsuki." Shizuru grinned. "We can go to the student council office first thing."

Natsuki couldn't help but smile back, blushing under Shizuru's gaze.

"Sure." She shrugged quickly, pretending she didn't really care. Shizuru picked up on the younger girl's behavior and tried not to laugh.

"Everyone have their earpieces?" Yohko asked. "Oh, here Jiro. Just come get another set." Jiro walked over and grabbed the pair, putting one on his ear, and giving the other to his partner.

"Alright students." Midori grinned, cracking her knuckles loudly. "You may begin as of now."

Everyone ran from the room, towards their preset area. Natsuki and Shizuru exchanged amused gazes, and walked out of the room.

Natsuki glanced down the hallway. Everyone was gone. "Oh, screw this." She muttered, grabbing Shizuru's arm. "Come on!" She yelled, tearing down the hallway.

Shizuru barely had time to voice her surprise before getting yanked down the hallway. She laughed, beginning to run beside the younger girl. By the time they got to the student council office both girls were very slightly out of breath.

"Here it is." Natsuki sighed. Shizuru blushed slightly and glanced down at her arm. Natsuki froze, realizing that she was still holding it tightly.

"O..oh. Sorry." Natsuki blushed, quickly letting go. She quickly walked into the room, wanting to avoid further embarrassment.

Shizuru's blush intensified, as she touched her arm softly. She sighed, quickly following behind her partner.

"I'll access the database." Shizuru said, walking quickly over to the laptop on the front desk. "It should only take a moment." She sat down in the chair and flipped open the laptop.

Natsuki walked over and leaned over the desk beside her. Shizuru inhaled sharply, trying to keep her mind firmly on the task at hand.

"Do you see her?" Natsuki asked as Shizuru scrolled down the photos of grade twelve students.

"Patience Natsuki." Shizuru smiled. She scrolled down a few more times, her mouse hovering over one picture in particular.

"That's her." Natsuki nodded. Shizuru quickly clicked on the picture to open up her file.

"Ara, that does seem to be her. Misaki Kimura." Shizuru read. Natsuki nodded.

"Wait, scroll down." Natsuki said, pointing to a line that was cut off. Her arm brushed softly against Shizuru's. Shizuru shivered slightly. Natsuki blushed, realizing what had just happened. She quickly pulled her arm back.

Shizuru scrolled down, reading line after line.

"What's her power?" Natsuki asked, her voice sounding hoarse.

Shizuru stopped scrolling, lifting her hand off the mouse in mild shock. She turned to face Natsuki, wincing slightly.

"What!?" Natsuki asked panicking.

"She's a phase shifter. Meaning, unfortunately, that she can walk through walls." Shizuru replied, an exasperated smile on her face. Natsuki's eyes widened dramatically.

"W...what!? How the hell are we supposed to catch her!?" Natsuki fumed.

"Ara, good question." Shizuru laughed. "I suppose if you get me close enough I can use my power on her. But, then again, I'd have to get close enough to make eye contact."

Natsuki nodded, thinking. "We'll we have to find her first. We should go." Natsuki glanced up at the clock as Shizuru quickly cosed the laptop and started walking out. They had only lost four minutes looking up the information.

"We have thirty nine minutes left." Shizuru smiled as Natsuki jogged out with her.

"Thirty nine minutes to catch a phase shifter." Natsuki groaned. Shizuru laughed, and the two girls started running in the other direction, to their section of the school.

When they neared their designated spot, Shizuru touched Natsuki's arm, slowing her down.

"We should act as if everything is normal." Shizuru said quietly. Natsuki nodded, slowing to a walk. Shizuru glanced up at the classroom beside her. It was room number 14, signaling the start of their territory.

"It's rather unlikely that she would hide out in a classroom." Shizuru said. "If only to avoid awkward explanations."

Natsuki nodded. "Let's check the forum."

Both partners walked down the hallway and through the large double doors. Shizuru sighed. The forum was fairly busy, making it harder to pick out individual faces.

"Maybe we should split up." Natsuki suggested.

Shizuru nodded. "I'll take the left side, and you take the right." She instructed. Natsuki nodded back, and started to walk off.

"Oh, Natsuki." Shizuru called after her. Natsuki turned back. "Be sure to radio me if you run into any problems. If you spot her it's probably best to stay back and call me over. If we can sneak up on her, this should be over fairly quickly."

"You got it." Natsuki grinned. Shizuru laughed, and the two girls walked off in opposite directions.

Natsuki quickly shoved through the groups of people. She didn't see her. She looped around the exterior of the forum twice, both times with the same result. Natsuki sighed, feeling quite frustrated. Her gaze was drawn to a girl walking into the bathroom on her right.

_That's it. The bathroom! _Natsuki thought quickly. She jogged over and quickly walked in, glancing around the room. The girls washing their hands gave Natsuki a questioning look as she starting throwing opening all the stall doors. The girl wasn't there.

Natsuki glared at the girls, who stopped laughing instantly before walking back out. She turned to the door beside the girls' entrance: the boys washroom.

_Well, I suppose it would be a good hiding spot. _Natsuki sighed. _No one would think to look for a girl in a boy's bathroom._

Shizuru walked around her end of the forum multiple times. No one there even remotely resembled the girl in the picture.

"Excuse me?" Shizuru smiled at a nearby group of students.

"Kaichou-san!?" One of the girls sputtered. Shizuru laughed quietly, inwardly groaning.

"I was wondering if any of you had seen this girl." Shizuru told them, holding up the picture for everyone to see.

They studied the picture for a moment. "No, sorry." The girl replied.

"Arigato." Shizuru smiled, before sighing and walking away. She walked over to another group, asking the same question. No one had seen her.

"Look." Natsuki glared, grabbing the first boy she could reach. "You are going to go in there and see if there's a girl with black hair inside. Got it?"

The boy paled, nodding quickly.

"Thanks." Natsuki nodded, releasing him quickly. The boy looked at her like she was insane before walking quickly into the bathroom. A couple seconds later he came back out again, shaking his head.

"Are you lying to me?" Natsuki raised her eyebrows.

"W...what?! No, I would never..." He stuttered. Natsuki repressed a grin, nodding.

"Okay, thanks anyway." She watched as the boy quickly walked back to his friends, checking over his shoulder to make sure she wasn't following him.

Natsuki tapped the large button on her ear piece. "Shizuru? Any luck."

There was a small static noise before Shizuru's voice came through the speaker. "I'm afraid not. I asked around, but no one has seen her."

"Okay." Natsuki sighed. "I even checked the bathrooms, but she wasn't there."

"Ara." Shizuru sounded amused. There was a brief pause. "Natsuki went into the boy's bathroom? That's against school rules you know."

"W..what!? No, baka! I got the first guy I saw to do it for me." Natsuki glared, though no one was really there to glare at. Natsuki looked up slowly. A large group of people were staring at her, gaping.

Natsuki blushed, realizing she looked a little insane, yelling at no one in particular. She quickly took of her ear piece, holding it up and glaring at the people watching her.

There was a brief pause, before everyone relaxed and looked away, realizing what was going on.

Natsuki quickly put it back on.

"Ara, drawing some attention I see." Shizuru sauntered over to her, grinning.

Natsuki groaned. "Can we go now?" She asked, blushing furiously.

"I think we should check out the school grounds next." Shizuru replied. "Though you should know we now only have thirty one minutes remaining."

Natsuki gulped. "Okay, let's go then." The two girls walked towards the far exit, careful to look around for the girl on the way.

"So, if I'm reading this correctly..." Shizuru help up the map on the back of the picture. "...our area outside stretches from the start of the small forest to the pond over there.

Natsuki followed where Shizuru pointed. "But there's hardly anything to hide behind."

"Well, nevertheless we'd better check it out. I'll start from the pond and work my way in." Shizuru replied, jogging off.

Natsuki headed for the tree line, trying not to blush at the mention of the pond.

She was careful to check behind the large rocks on the way, and even searched the entrance to the forest.

"Nothing." Natsuki muttered, kicking a stone in frustration.

"Anything?" Shizuru's voice startled her. Natsuki touched her ear piece.

"Nope. Meet you at the school entrance?" Natsuki asked.

"I'm already there." Shizuru laughed, watching Natsuki from a distance. The girl looked up quickly in her direction, and Shizuru could imagine the blush forming as they spoke.

"Thanks for telling me." Natsuki sarcastically answered, running towards her. Natsuki groaned when Shizuru's laugh echoed through her ear piece, making her blush.

"So, classrooms 1-14 then?" Natsuki asked when she got there.

Shizuru nodded. "We should try and be tactful though. I recommend just asking the teachers if they've seen her."

"Sure." Natsuki nodded.

"Do you want to split up again?" Shizuru asked as they cut through the forum.

"What?" Natsuki asked, blushing madly. _Did Shizuru just ask if I wanted us to break... oh, right. Wow, nice one Natsuki._

"Uh..." Natsuki started, then considered having to explain to teachers why she was in their class, searching around. "Not really." She said finally. "I mean, I'd just rather have you with me." She clarified.

Both girls processed what Natsuki had just said. Shizuru almost chocked, but quickly covered it up. She blushed.

"I..I just meant...cause I don't want have to talk to the teachers." Natsuki quickly blurted out, realizing how that must have sounded. _Baka! What the hell's wrong with you?_

_That's not what she meant. _Shizuru told her herself quickly. _Why am I allowing myself false hope. This will never happen. Not for me._

"I understand." Shizuru faked a smile. The two girls stopped in front of the first classroom, and knocked on the door. The balding man teaching waved them in.

"Yes?" He asked, glancing up from his chalkboard.

"Good afternoon Sensei." Shizuru smiled, walking confidently into the room. Natsuki could have sworn he blushed. She crossed her arms, and turned to glance around the classroom. The girl wasn't at any desks, and there were no other rooms to hide in.

"We were wondering if you happened to see this girl." Shizuru took out the picture and handed it to him.

He glanced down at the picture, then shook his head. "No, sorry girls."

"Arigato." Shizuru smiled, giving the class a brief waved before turning back. There was some frantic reciprocated waving. Natsuki openly rolled her eyes, grabbing Shizuru and waking out.

Shizuru laughed. They walked over to the next class, and knocked.

"We're running out of time." Natsuki said worriedly.

"We still have 26 minutes." Shizuru reminded her. She opened the door when the woman at the front waved her in.

"Hello." Shizuru said, handing over the picture. "We just wanted to ask if you had seen this girl recently."

The woman glanced up at Shizuru, then down at the picture. "No, I'm afraid I'm haven't." She smiled.

Natsuki glanced around the room just to make sure. There was some sort of closet with a door on it. Then again, the teacher would have probably known if there was a girl hiding in it.

"Arigato." Shizuru smiled, taking the picture back. Natsuki and Shizuru quickly walked over to the next room, repeating the process.

When they had covered all fourteen rooms, there was still no sign of her. Natsuki growled, kicking the nearest wall.

"This is pointless." She said. "We're not going to find her."

Shizuru sighed, turning Natsuki around gently. "We have to keep trying Natsuki." Shizuru smiled softly, looking into her eyes. "You should really have more faith in your abilities."

Natsuki blushed softly, trying hard to look away. All of a sudden a thought occurred to her.

"Wait." She said suddenly. "The teachers said they hadn't seen her right?" She asked.

Shizuru nodded, not sure what she was getting at.

"What if she somehow convinced them to lie?" Natsuki asked. "Either that, or she's moving through the walls to avoid us. Personally I consider that major cheating."

Shizuru looked up, surprised by what she was suggesting. "Ara, I suppose it wouldn't be the first time a teacher was somehow involved." She replied.

"In room two there was a closet." Natsuki said. "Only that one and room 11 had separate rooms."

Shizuru nodded, smiling. "How very observant of you."

Natsuki blushed, crossing her arms. "Let's go then? You can just use your powers on the teachers right?"

"I suppose so. But..." She stopped Natsuki before she could jog off. "...I have a feeling we should approach this with a little more finesse. The girl can run through walls, remember."

Natsuki turned, raising her eyebrows. "What do you suggest?" She asked.

Shizuru grinned.

* * *

"Excuse me?" The short blond girl walked into the classroom. She glanced back at Shizuru and Natsuki, who were leaning against either side of the hall wall, out of sight.

"Uh... could I talk to you for a minute?" The girl asked, gesturing to the hallway. The woman paused, nodding.

"Of course. Excuse me for a moment." She told her class. "What's this about?" She asked, walking out into the hallway and closing the door. The blond girl glanced nervously over at Shizuru, who nodded.

"Arigato." She smiled, making the younger girl blush. She quickly walked down the hallway towards the forum.

The teacher turned quickly, facing Shizuru. Shizuru made eye contact quickly.

"Tell me." She asked. "Have you seen this girl?"

The teacher's eye widened when she realized what was happened.

"She's in the closet." She said, her face going a little blank. Natsuki and Shizuru exchanged a glance. The teacher, stopped, realizing what she'd said.

"Well, I tried." She laughed, looking at Shizuru. "That's some power you have Fujino."

"Arigato." Shizuru smiled. "I apologize for using it." The woman shrugged.

"It is allowed." The teacher smiled.

"Would you do me a favor?" Shizuru asked. "Would you please go in and continue teaching as if nothing is wrong?"

The teacher hesitated, then nodded. "I suppose it's only fair that I help you two now." She laughed.

Shizuru and Natsuki exchanged a glance. Natsuki nodded, opening the door for the teacher. The teacher walked back in, and Shizuru walked down the hallway. Natsuki followed the teacher, quietly walking over to the closet and pausing in front of the door.

"Sorry for that." The teacher smiled. "Now, where were we?" She asked, trying to get her class to ignore the blue haired girl standing at the other end of the room.

"Chiyo? Would you like to write the next answer on the board?"

Natsuki heard a faint static sound come through her head piece. She tapped the blue button back, not making a sound. Natsuki took a deep breath, placing her hand on the handle.

In one quick movement she opened the door, running in.

The black haired girl looked up, startled. "What?" She asked, frantically.

"Got you." Natsuki grinned. The black haired girl recovered from her shock quickly, raising her eyebrows.

"Not quite." She laughed, backing through the wall behind her into the next classroom over.

"Ara." Shizuru smiled, as the girl backed through the wall in front of her. The class gasped in amazement. Even Shizuru herself was slightly impressed.

The girl whirled around, freezing when she saw Shizuru.

"Stop." Shizuru commanded, locking their eyes quickly. The girl looked down furiously, trying to move. Then she sighed, glancing back up at the chestnut haired girl.

"I should have known they'd assign you to me." She sighed.

Shizuru smiled, raising her eyebrows.

"Follow me Kimura-san." Shizuru said, ignoring her comment. "I believe we have some things to discuss." With that Shizuru turned back to the very surprised classroom.

"Please excuse the intrusion." Shizuru smiled. Everyone, including the teacher looked shocked. Someone started clapping, setting off the entire class.

Shizuru laughed. "Arigato." She grinned, leading the black haired girl out.

"Did you get her?!" Natsuki ran up as soon as Shizuru exited the classroom.

"Of course." Shizuru grinned. Natsuki saw the girl trailing behind and raised her arms up in victory.

"Yes!" She cried, making Shizuru laugh.

"I'm so glad you're my partner." Natsuki grinned, making Shizuru and her blush faintly.

"Arigato." Shizuru smiled, her eyes naturally searching for the younger girls. They locked eyes, their grins fading to small smiles.

Natsuki felt herself blush, but she didn't want to look away. Unsure of what she was doing she stepped a little closer to the older girl. Shizuru, who was still staring into her eyes, didn't register the movement.

Natsuki's eyes flickered down to the older girl's lips.

Suddenly someone cleared their throat. Natsuki looked away quickly, blushing furiously.

"Uh, remember me here?" The girl asked, waving her hand. "Can we get this over with?" She asked.

Shizuru blushed, turning back to the older girl and holding her gaze.

"Tell me where the bomb is." She said calmly.

"It's on the second floor. In classroom 47." The girl answered. "You know you could have just asked."

Natsuki smirked, rolling her eyes.

"You will tell me, who's guarding the bomb and what power they possess." Shizuru commanded.

"Takuya Ito. Telekineses." She replied. Shizuru broke eye contact, glancing over at Natsuki, a worried look on her fact.

"If you are aware of any defenses set up you will notify me now." She said after a moment, glancing back at the girl's eyes.

"I didn't set it up." The girl answered. "I couldn't tell you. Knowing Takuya though, there's bound to be."

Shizuru nodded. _This isn't going to be easy. _"You will not speak to anyone about our conversation. You will not have any contact with Takuya until the school day is over."

The girl nodded slowly.

"You may leave." Shizuru said, sighing as the girl walked towards the forum.

"Telekinesis?" Natsuki asked, watching the girl leave.

"Very powerful." Shizuru nodded. "I don't know if I'll be able to get close enough to fight him properly."

Natsuki nodded, and idea forming. "Well, we'll just have to come up with another plan then."

Shizuru grinned, seeing the younger girl's thoughtful expression.

"I have an idea." Natsuki grinned after a moment.

"Tell me on the way?" Shizuru asked, starting to jog to the nearest set of stairs. Natsuki nodded. Only 18 minutes left.

* * *

The two girls stopped in front of room 47, catching their breath quickly.

Shizuru nodded to Natsuki, gently reaching out and testing the doorknob.

"Locked." She mouthed to the younger girl. Natsuki nodded. Shizuru quietly took out her lock picks and inserted them into the keyhole. She was careful not to make a sound. When the picks were fully inserted she nodded to Natsuki.

Natsuki blushed, walking a little down the hallway. She stomped her feet angrily as she walked the last bit.

"Get out here." Natsuki screamed, slamming the first empty classroom's door she could find. "What did I tell you about using powers in my class?! Huh?!" She yelled furiously, glancing over at Shizuru.

Shizuru nodded, grinning, using the loud noise as cover for the sound of the lock picks moving. She expertly maneuvered the pins out of the way, her ear close to the door.

"No, don't even try!" Natsuki yelled. "Don't even try!" She glanced back at Shizuru who was almost done. Shizuru moved both picks over to her right hand using her left to count down. 3...2...

"I have had ENOUGH!" Natsuki yelled, slamming her fist into the wall at the same time Shizuru gave the picks a final twist. There was a quiet, and hopefully unnoticeable click.

Shizuru grinned, nodding to Natsuki.

"Now you get back in there, and you pay **very** close attention, do you hear me?!" Natsuki yelled for good measure, closing the door once again. She grinned, slightly embarrassed at the little show she'd just put on. She quietly walked over to Shizuru and stood beside her.

"That was quite a performance." Shizuru whispered as quietly as she could, bringing her face close to Natsuki's ear. Natsuki blushed, feeling her warm breath on her face.

"Thanks." She whispered back breathlessly. _Why_ _can't I breathe when she gets that close?_

"Are you ready?" Shizuru asked her, reaching for the door handle.

"Yeah, but Shizuru..." Natsuki's tone changed. "I really don't see why it has to be me." She whispered quickly.

"Ara, but it is _your_ plan." Shizuru grinned, trying desperately to ignore how close Natsuki's face was to hers.

"So?!" Natsuki exclaimed quietly.

Shizuru grinned, cutting her off. "Shall we then?"

Natsuki would have groaned, but for the sake of their mission she stopped herself.

The two girls moved into position on either side of the door. Natsuki and Shizuru looked at each other, locking eyes for a tense moment.

Blushing faintly, Shizuru held up her hand for a second time.

3....

2...

1...

Shizuru twisted the handle quickly, ripping the door open. Natsuki sprinted in, Shizuru closely behind her.

Natsuki paused, seeing the green haired boy at the other side of the room freeze in shock. He quickly dropped the book he was reading, reaching for the detonator on the desk.

By the time his hand got there it was frozen to the desk, covered in ice. Natsuki smirked, running over to him. The boy quickly got up, glancing over at the first desk he could lay eyes on.

Natsuki grunted as the desk slammed into her side. She was almost knocked off her feet.

Shizuru grabbed her, steadying her quickly before rolling neatly over the desk and running towards the boy. His eyes widened, and he quickly turned to his right. Shizuru ducked, barely in time as the chair flew for her. She stopped when a row of desks slammed into a line in front of her, hitting her forcefully.

Natsuki sprinted up, using her arm to vault over the new line of desks. The boy quickly turned again, looking for more things to throw.

All Natsuki could see was a flash of black as the chair smashed into her. There was a hollow thud from the impact.

Shizuru and the boy watched as Natsuki fell down hard.

They watched as she hit the ground. She didn't get up.

"Natsuki?!" Shizuru yelled, shoving the desks out of the way furiously. She ran over to the younger girl, and quickly knelt down.

"Natsuki?" She asked in a panicked voice, softly shaking the younger girl. She gently picked up the navy girls face, cradling her head gently.

Shizuru looked up, a frozen look on her face to the boy.

"She's bleeding badly." She whispered. The boy looked back at her, a shocked look on his face.

"W..what?" He asked, shaking. What had he done?

"Get over here and help me." Shizuru snapped, her voice shaking. She turned back to fallen girl, gently brushing her hair off of her face.

The boy, completely pale ran over, bending over frantically to examine the damage.

Shizuru grabbed his head, tilting it up to meet hers.

"Stop." She commanded, smiling slightly. She stood up with him, a look of confusion on his face.

Shizuru gasped as her legs were swept out from under her. She broke her fall quickly landing down beside a now grinning Natsuki.

"I still don't see why it had to be me." Natsuki said, raising her eyebrows. She leaned over the older girl slightly, looking down at her. Shizuru laughed, blushing when she realized thee position they were now in.

Natsuki grinned, inhaling quickly when she looked down at Shizuru. She studied her dark red eyes, blushing as she felt herself undeniably drawn in by them. Before Natsuki could stop herself she glanced down at Shizuru's mouth, gulping. She quickly blushed. _What the hell are you doing?! Get off of her!_

Shizuru studied Natsuki's eyes, trying very hard to steady her breathing. The way Natsuki was looking at her... it was very new to her. _No one looks at me quite like she does. _Shizuru found herself thinking. What was it about this girl? What made everything about her... the way she was glancing down at her so... perfect? Shizuru's eyes met Natsuki's once again, studying them for any hint of an answer. _She looks so... _Shizuru searched for the right word._ ...trusting. _Shizuru blinked, surprised at the first word that had occurred to her. _Trust? _She was merely deluding herself._ ...Of course not. _She almost laughed bitterly. _No one looks at you with trust... _Shizuru trembled in sudden realization.

..._Not even Natsuki could look at you with trust._

Natsuki froze as she took in the change in her partners gaze. _Her eyes... they stopped sparkling... _

"A..are you okay Shizuru?" Natsuki asked, quickly getting up. She looked down at her partner, eyes full of concern.

"Of course." Shizuru faked a smile. "We should hurry." She said quickly, getting up.

Natsuki nodded, snapping herself out of it. "Yeah, sure."

Shizuru turned to the now furiously blushing grade twelve boy. "Tell me where the bomb is and if there are any traps set up."

"The bomb is in the closet." He gestured, looking a little confused. Why was he telling her this? "It's rigged to go off if the door is opened without disabling the trap first."

Shizuru nodded, slightly impressed. "Disable it for me." She ordered. The boy nodded walking over to the door and carefully slipping his hand underneath the gap between the door and the floor. After a few seconds he turned back.

"It done." He said, still looking fairly shaken up.

"Arigato." Shizuru smiled, walking over to the door with Natsuki. Together they opened the door and walked in. Natsuki looked down, noticing the bomb's similar design to the ones' they had practiced on.

"Tell me." Shizuru said after making eye contact with the boy once more. "How proficient are you at bomb disabling?"

Natsuki looked down at the timer and gulped. Twelve minutes left.

The boy blushed. "I'm really bad." He admitted.

Shizuru sighed. "You may go now. Do nothing more to prohibit our task."

The boy gulped, nodding before rushing out the door.

"I think we scared him." Natsuki grinned. "You're really good at acting." She laughed.

Shizuru smiled, turning back to the bomb. "Do you want me to work on this?" She asked. "We only have eleven minutes left."

"Oh, God yes." Natsuki grinned. "I've disabled enough bombs for one lifetime."

Shizuru nodded, smiling, before crouching down in front of the bomb. Natsuki watched, amazed as Shizuru got to work. She carefully took off the casing, exposing the inside of the bomb. After studying the bomb for a moment she turned to Natsuki.

"I don't suppose you thought to bring scissors?" She asked.

Natsuki shook her head. "Sorry. I'll check the teacher's desk though." She jogged over, quickly finding what she needed. "Found some." She said, walking back. She glanced down at the portable detonator on the desk. When had the ice melted?

"Here." Natsuki said, walking over and passing Shizuru the scissors.

"Arigato." Shizuru murmured, cutting a wire quickly.

"Shizuru!" Natsuki exclaimed, sure the older girl was just guessing. The lights on the panel flickered once before shutting of entirely.

"Yes?" Shizuru looked up, amused.

"N..never mind." Natsuki gulped. _How come I can't do that? _She asked herself, once again extremely grateful Shizuru was her partner. "Let's get out of here." She added quickly. Shizuru nodded, and the two girls sprinted out of the classroom.

They bolted down the stairs and into the hallway in perfect synchronization. They had almost reached the door when another group ran toward the room from the other direction.

"Go!" Natsuki yelled running faster. She threw open the door just before the other group got there and ran inside. Shizuru ran after her, almost running into the younger girl when she abruptly stopped. The second group ran in quickly after.

"Hi Natsuki." Chie waved. She and Aoi were the only ones already there.

Natsuki looked at them horrified. _We didn't come in first?_

Midori walked over to them grinning at the four new arrivals.

"That was quite an entrance Kuga." She grinned. "I have to say, Fujino... even for you, I'm impressed. You guys caught a phase shifter, outwitted a telekinetic, and disabled a bomb in a new record time... 78 seconds by the way... _and _after all that you still wound up in second place." She laughed, then turned to the group that had come in third.

"Anzai, Itami. Great job as well." She smiled, then quickly turned back to Shizuru and Natsuki.

"Kuga, I have to admit you had us scared." Midori laughed. "That chair looked like it _had_ to hurt."

Natsuki blushed, looking over at Shizuru. She'd completely forgotten they were on camera.

"Oh, and can I just say guys..." Midori grinned mischievously. "I think you two have a _lot_ of chemistry. And not just the type of chemistry you need to be good powers partners, if you know what I mean." She winked before walking back to Yohko.

Natsuki blushed furiously, not exactly sure what she was implying. She couldn't bring herself to look at Shizuru, not wanting to know what her reaction was.

Chie choked on her chocolate bar. Had she missed something?

"S..so, Chie..." Natsuki stuttered. "How'd you guys manage to come in first?"

Chie grinned. "Well..." She started, looking over at Aoi. "...we found the guy we were supposed to pigging out on instant noodles in the cafeteria."

Natsuki gaped. "That is so unfair." She glared.

Chie laughed. "Sorry. Then when we got to the bomb, I just popped the detonator into the hallway and held off the girl so Aoi could disable it." Chie shrugged. "It wasn't that hard honestly."

Shizuru sighed.

Natsuki growled deeply. "Have I mentioned how much I hate our powers teacher?" She asked quietly, making Shizuru laugh. "Where'd you get the chocolate?" She asked Chie, her stomach growling faintly.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Midori said, walking over. She threw the second and third place teams chocolate bars. "Prizes." She grinned.

"But I thought we weren't getting prizes." Natsuki said, looking down at the bar, confused.

"Yeah, but then I felt bad and Yohko had loose change. So, tada... prizes for groups one to three." Midori grinned. "Congratulations once again." She started to walk away before pausing. "Oh, and you two..." She started, pointing to Natsuki and Shizuru. "I'm playing the tape of you guys in action for everyone in next year's class."

Natsuki blushed, remembering how close they had gotten in the room. She **really** didn't want that played for everyone to see.

"You okay Natsuki?" Chie asked, popping Natsuki's chocolate bar into her hand.

"Hey!" Natsuki yelled, chasing Chie around the room. Chie grinned, stopping and handing it back when they reached the other end of the room.

"So?" Chie asked, extremely curious. "How did it go with you two?"

"What?" Natsuki asked. "What do you mean?" She raised her eyebrows suspiciously.

"Well, just..." Chie started, sighing. "From what Midori-sensei said, I kinda got the feeling..." She trailed off, waiting for Natsuki to clue in.

"What?" Natsuki repeated, now thoroughly confused.

"You know..." Chie urged. "About... the sparks?" She added, watching a full blush form on Natsuki's face.

"W..what!?" Natsuki asked, fully aware of her blush.

"Look, Natsuki I can help you..." Chie started, trying to find a way to get through to the navy haired girl.

"I don't need any help." Natsuki said, glaring. _Why is she always so pushy when she talks about Shizuru and me?_

"Tell me that the next time you stare at her from across the locker room." Chie grinned slyly.

Natsuki froze, blinking. _What did she just say!? _By that point her face was so red Chie considered taking a picture. It was, needless to say, impressive.

"E..excuse me?!" Natsuki asked, shocked.

"Natsuki." Chie said softly. "I've seen the way you look at her."

"What!?" Natsuki glared, dragging Chie further away from the group.

"Just let me know when you want to talk... okay?" Chie asked, making eye contact. "I'm not going to tell anyone, don't worry. But, believe me...I've been there. So seriously, you know where to find me." Chie stopped then grinned. "We do live together after all."

She walked away calmly, leaving a_ very _shocked Natsuki to register what she'd said.

Chie smiled to Aoi as she set down. _Stage one._.. Chie thought to herself... _Complete. _

Stage two however, was all up to Natsuki.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: ****Here's chapter 9! :D First, I just want to warn you guys that there is like no action in this chapter (but hey, compensation for the last one right?). It focuses mainly on pushing forward the Shiznat plot. Anyway, so in my opinion it had to be done lol. I really hope you guys like it anyway though. I tried my best to make it somewhat realistic.**

**Oh, and lol... there's this one scene in this chapter where Shizuru is talking to Haruka about her parents. I don't know if it's just me, but it seems really familiar, so I hope I didn't accidentally steal a line from a movie or something. :D If I did, I apologize in advance, although I'm not too sure.**

**Ooh, and guess what?! I found a list of superpowers... you guys should check them out, some of them are pretty awesome. My personal favorite however: Oatmealkinesis- the ability to manipulate oatmeal with one's mind! :D Anyway, if you just google 'the superpower list' it's the first one up there.**

**I really hope you like it!!! Please feel free to review!!! :D**

**Chapter #9: Introspection**

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* * *

**"What was that about?" Aoi asked as her partner sat back down next to her.

Chie grinned. "I'm playing matchmaker for a bit."

Aoi turned to face her, her eyebrows raised. "Matchmaker?"

Chie nodded, laughing at the look on her partner's face. "Okay... I swore I wouldn't tell anyone, but you'll keep this a secret right?"

Aoi scowled. "You don't trust me?"

Chie sighed. "You know I trust you, but Natsuki would kill me if this got out..."

Aoi crossed her arms, glaring down at the younger girl. Chie turned away, a grin on her face. _3...2...1..._

"Okay, fine. Tell me." Aoi sighed. Chie laughed, turning to face the brown haired girl. She quickly glanced back over to Natsuki, who was still glaring at her from a distance. The navy haired girl had finally sat back down again, though she did sit 10 feet away from everyone else.

Shizuru turned to Natsuki and smiled. _Why is she sitting so far away? Is she upset about something? Ara, is she upset that we didn't come in first?_

_I'm going to kill that girl. _Natsuki vowed silently, glaring at Chie. _No... even better… I'll break her cellphone... Who does she think she is? Honestly?! Staring at Shizuru in the locker room!? What is she __**insane**__!? That was like...once or twice... and not in a creepy I like watching you get dressed way!_

Natsuki blushed just thinking about it, an image of Shizuru in her dark red underwear and bra popping into her head. She glared at the floor in front of her, consciously ignoring how hard it was to breathe.

"Are you okay Natsuki?" Shizuru asked, getting up and walking over. She casually sat down beside the younger girl, studying the expression on the her face.

"Huh?" Natsuki snapped out of it, looking up quickly. "S..shizuru?" She stuttered, trying her best not to stare at the older girl's partially exposed legs.

"Are you alright?" Shizuru repeated, crossing her legs and supporting her weight with her arms behind her.

"Yeah." Natsuki nodded, looking up to meet her gaze. "I'm fine. Arigato."

Shizuru nodded, looking into her vibrant green eyes. She could tell something was definitely wrong, but she didn't want to push the younger girl. _Natsuki is definitely not someone you can easily persuade to open up._

Natsuki turned away after a moment, looking over in Chie's direction. Chie was seeing things that weren't there. There was no way she could be attracted to any girl. And that included Shizuru.

"I don't know..." Chie started, grinning mischievously. "...maybe I shouldn't..."

"Chie!" Aoi yelled.

"Okay, fine." Chie laughed. "You've got to do your mind thing though. I don't want anyone hearing this."

_What!? _Chie heard Aoi's voice echo in her mind.

_I'm never going to get used to that. _Chie thought, grinning. _Mind Whisperer._

Aoi blushed. _Sure you will. We do it enough. _Aoi paused, wanting to get right to the point. _So? What is it!?_

_Well... _Chie thought, looking up as two more groups ran into the room. _...What do you think about Natsuki and Shizuru?_

Aoi glanced over at the two girls sitting ten feet away. _They're nice people? _She offered, hoping Chie was getting at something a little more substantial.

_No. _Chie grinned. _I mean what do you think about Natsuki and Shizuru... together?_

Aoi gasped out loud, blushing when the two girls looked their way. She quickly turned back to Chie, who smirked at her and nodded her head slowly.

_Together? As in... _Aoi's thoughts trailed off.

_Exactly. _Chie grinned.

_Are you sure they're even gay? _Aoi asked, not so sure. _I've seen Fujino-san flirt with lots of guys._

_Fujino flirts with everyone. That's not the point. _Chie turned back to face the two girls._ Have you seen the way she looks at Natsuki?! _Chie asked.

_N..not really. _Aoi replied, glancing over in the same direction. Shizuru and Natsuki were talking quietly. She couldn't quite hear what about.

"Oh, that reminds me." Natsuki sighed. "I have to call my mom today."

Shizuru laughed. _How adorable._

"You know, it's always the same thing to..." Natsuki crossed her arms. "Hi Natsuki? How's school? What are your grades? Did you meet any cute boys?"

Shizuru raised her eyebrows at the mention of cute boys. Her stomach clenched. Had she?

"A..ara." Shizuru faked a smiled. "And have you?" She asked, studying the younger girl's face very carefully.

"No." Natsuki scoffed. "Honestly Shizuru, have you seen the guys that go here?"

Shizuru's stomach clenched even tighter. She felt a pang of jealousy. "So you've been looking then?" She laughed.

Natsuki looked up, hearing her laugh. "B..baka! Of course not!" She yelled, blushing.

Shizuru didn't laugh. The best she could give was a forced smile. She looked away quickly, careful to keep her posture relaxed.

Natsuki scowled. "I'm not looking for anyone." She said defiantly.

"So... then you've found someone?" Shizuru asked, turning back to face Natsuki. She instantly regretted asking. She didn't think she could handle the answer.

Natsuki was drawn in by her gaze, surprised by what she saw. _Is Shizuru okay? She looks so... tired._

Natsuki took her mind off of it, considering Shizuru's question. Had she found someone? Someone who she cared about more then anyone would ever know? Natsuki's eyes quickly fluttered to Shizuru's lips before she blushed and looked away.

"N..No! Of course not!" Natsuki half laughed half glared. "I don't need anybody like that." _Shizuru is just my partner. Nothing more. Even if you did... it can't happen._

Shizuru smiled bitterly. _I desperately wish I could follow your example._

Natsuki lay down on the mat, hands behind her head. "Well, what about you then?" She asked, glancing up at the brown haired girl. "Met any cute guys?" She grinned. Her grin faded a little as her heart beat quickened. Why did she suddenly feel so anxious?

Shizuru's heart skipped a beat, and she felt a sharp pang of regret. She'd lied many times about meeting people. Mostly to appease her parents or acquaintances. So... why did it hurt so much this time around? Shizuru looked down at the grin on Natsuki's face. _I...I don't think I can do this... not with Natsuki._

"A..ara... I'm sorry Natsuki." She said, getting up quickly. Her mouth was dry making the words come out strangely. "I just remembered... a task that I have to attend to. I'm afraid I have to leave now."

"What?" Natsuki sat up, frowning. "Why?"

Shizuru forced a smile. "It's my responsibly." She said simply. With that she walked away, lying quickly to their teacher for permission to leave.

"Okay, see you Monday." Midori smiled, giving a little wave.

Shizuru smiled briefly before turning and walking towards the door.

"Wait...Shizuru!?" Natsuki called. Shizuru inhaled sharply, dangerously close to falling apart.

"Yes Natsuki?" She asked, turning around slowly.

"Do you need any help?" Natsuki asked, getting up.

Shizuru shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. She quickly walked out of the room and down the hallway. She slowed her breathing as she entered the bathroom, making sure no one was there. She couldn't go back to her room. Haruka might already be there and she, without a doubt, would know something was wrong.

She exhaled slowly when she realized no one was there. Shizuru took deep, slow breaths, not able to bring herself to look in the mirror. She didn't want to see the damage.

_Calm down. _She instructed herself firmly. _You have no right to feel this way._

Using sheer force of will, she walked over to the sink and looked up at her reflection. She smiled, as if testing her composure. Slowly she walked over and grabbed a paper towel from the dispenser. She soaked half of it with cold water, washing her face quickly. School was almost over, and someone was bound to find her.

The door burst open, starling Shizuru.

"Sh..shizuru-sama." A grade nine girl stuttered, blushing. "Hi."

Shizuru smiled quickly, throwing out her paper towel. She really wasn't in the mood for encounters like this.

"Hello." She replied, widening her fake smile. "Have a nice day." She quickly added, walking out of the room before the girl could say another word.

She was halfway down the hallway when the bell rang. The school day was over. Shizuru quickened her pace to avoid crowds. _Where am I going? _She asked herself, walking aimlessly. _Not back to my room. I want... I need to be alone._

Shizuru walked through the forum, towards the nearest exit. She closed her eyes briefly when she got outside, breathing in the fresh air. Her eyes drifted over to her left, settling on the pond some distance away.

Suddenly with purpose Shizuru walked quickly towards it. She stopped a few meters away, smiling softly as sat down. It was unusual for anyone to come over here. And to Shizuru, the pond was one of the more peaceful places she had ever seen.

Shizuru watched the water ripple with the breeze, oddly hypnotized by the movement. She sighed, lying down as Natsuki had done. Hands behind her head. She didn't bother trying to copy the defiant smile.

_No one smiles like Natsuki does._

* * *

"I'm not even kidding." Chie laughed. "Two seconds before the bell." She held the classroom door open for her friends, and together they started walking down the hallway.

Mai grinned. "Hey, technically it counts."

"What took you so long?" Natsuki asked, laughing.

Mai sighed. "Let's just say Reito and I got a little... distracted." She rubbed her head sheepishly, blushing.

Nao snorted. "I really didn't need to know that." Natsuki and Chie nodded in complete agreement.

"Hey." Mai said defensively. "At least _we_ finished the job." She raised her eyebrows at Nao.

"Oh, don't even go there Tokiha." Nao replied, clearly upset. "If Shiho hadn't started doing her freaky hair thing that kid wouldn't have panicked and used the remote blow everyone up button." She smirked to herself. "Not that I blame him. I would have blown us up too if I'd seen her hair flinging at _me_ in all directions."

Natsuki snickered. That was something she had to see.

"So what happened to Shizuru?" Chie asked, turning to Natsuki.

Natsuki blushed. She quickly shot Chie a not so discreet warning look. Chie paled a little, walking a little farther over.

"I was just wondering why she left." Chie quickly added.

"She had some council thing to do." Natsuki shrugged, then glared even more "How should I know?"

Chie grinned. _Well aren't we defensive? Definitely a good sign. I'll have to tell Aoi._

Mai looked between the two of them, picking up on some serious vibes. Chie was feeling pretty pleased with herself, and Natsuki was pretty mad about something. Actually Natsuki was pretty much a mess. She couldn't even pick out all the emotions she was feeling.

Mai walked a little closer to Chie and away from Natsuki. Empaths could always do with a little vicarious self-satisfaction.

"So, anyone have plans for the weekend?" Mai asked. "I'm so glad it's Friday."

Chie grinned. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking Mai?"

Mai shrieked quietly. "Karaoke Night!"

Natsuki and Nao froze in quiet terror. They turned to face each other, each smirking at the look on the other's face.

"What's wrong Nao?" Natsuki asked smirking. "Scared of a little Karaoke?"

Nao snickered. "Hell yes."

Natsuki grinned. "Can't blame you there."

Mai looked at them with shock, almost walking right into the forum doors. "What?!" She exclaimed thankfully noticing the door before causing a scene. "But...you guys _will_ come right?!" She asked, looking panicked.

"Sorry Mai." Natsuki laughed. "You couldn't pay me to sing... not even in mayonnaise." She added quickly.

Mai pouted, storming off back to the dorm. Natsuki and Nao grinned, running after her.

"Aw come on Mai..." Natsuki began. "We're sorry."

"We are?" Nao asked smirking. She saw Natsuki's glare. "I mean... we are." She grinned, shrugging her shoulders.

Mai sighed. "We'll, at least Chie's coming...right?" She asked, turning to Chie.

Chie froze, thinking about her plans. If she was right about Natsuki it wouldn't be long now. She just had to make sure she was there when the exasperation set in.

"Actually Mai..." Chie winced. She had been the one to bring it up after all. She suddenly came up with a plan to avoid hurting her friend's feelings. "...I bet I could get more people to come next weekend." She grinned. Aoi would come, she'd was sure of it. And with the dirt she'd gotten on Akane and Kazu they'd _naturally_ have to come too.

"Really?" Mai asked, looking hopefully. "That's settled then. We'll just have to wait."

* * *

"What are you doing over here?"

Shizuru opened her eyes, startled. She glanced up at the blond girl towering over her.

"Ara...Haruka san..." She started, thinking Haruka was almost the last person she wanted to talk to right now. "...simply enjoying a beautiful day."

"Typical bubuzuke." Haruka scoffed, sitting down beside her.

"Perhaps you should develop a love of beauty." Shizuru smiled, thinking maybe Haruka's company wasn't such a bad idea after all. "It might help you relax."

Haruka's eyes widened as she glared. "Relax!? Bubuzuke do you know how much discipline the students at Fukka Academy need? And where's the president of the student council?" She asked, crossing her arms. "She's out relaxing by a giant puddle!"

Shizuru had to laugh. "Ara, I believe I simply needed some air." She said, gazing back out at the pond.

"Is something wrong?" Haruka asked, already knowing the answer Shizuru would give her.

"What ever gave you that idea?" Shizuru asked, wincing internally.

"Your fake smile is a little off today." Haruka raised her eyebrows. "So, seriously what is it?"

Shizuru sighed. "It's simply one of those days."

"Yeah." Haruka nodded. "One of those days when something absolutely horrible happens. Now spill it before I have to beat it out of you."

"Ara, I do hope you remember how our last sparring match went Haruka-san." Shizuru grinned, enjoying the look on the blond girl's face.

Haruka's eye twitched slightly, but eventually she just sighed. "Seriously Shizuru. Just tell me. It's not like I care enough to tell anyone." She said, then reconsidered. "...Or at all." She added quickly.

Shizuru smiled to herself. Haruka's concern was quite touching. And her attitude certainly brought with it a refreshing change of pace.

Shizuru hesitated. _Am I really about to tell her? _She bit her bottom lip slightly. "Well... then tell me, Haruka-san..." She started, feeling a pang of nervousness. It was rare that she opened up to someone, and never about something like this. "...what would you do..." She took a small breath. "...What would you do if you fell for someone... someone who could never fall for you back?" She looked up nervously, though she would never show it.

Haruka paused, surprised but grateful the brown haired girl was opening up to her. She'd never seen Shizuru so serious about someone. She flirted with everyone, that was just her way. "As in... never?" Haruka asked.

Shizuru took a deep breath, what she was about to say directed to herself as much as Haruka. "...Never." She said finally, feeling the word cut sharply into her.

"Uh...this may sound weird..." Haruka started. "But... why?"

Shizuru laughed. "I'm afraid I can't disclose that information."

Haruka raised her eyebrows. "How am I supposed to help if you don't fill me in."

"You're not." Shizuru said, then grinned. "I don't think I could handle receiving help from you."

"Hey!" Haruka yelled, thankfully not loud enough to cause a shock wave. "That was so uncalled for!"

Shizuru laughed. Even Haruka smiled a little. "So, back to the main topic here... why would this person never love you back?"

"Do you remember when you got your powers?" Shizuru asked, glancing up at her room mate. "Back in grade eight?"

"Of course." Haruka replied, not seeing the point. A grin formed on her face. "I still remember the look on your face when I walked up and used my sonic boom on you the first time. Completely priceless." She laughed to herself. That memory in particular would never get old.

"And do you remember when I got mine?" Shizuru asked quietly, knowing the answer already.

"Yeah." Haruka's grin faded. "You hardly talked to anyone that week."

Shizuru smiled faded a little as she remembered. Her parents, not having powers themselves didn't understand what it was like. Shizuru bit her bottom lip harder, trying to get control of herself.

They wouldn't look her in the eyes for months. Everything... the way they would suddenly give her everything she wanted, as if to appease her into not using her power on them... it was so different. The way her class treated her...everything had changed.

"And do you remember when we arrived at Fuuka academy?" Shizuru continued, refusing to take her eyes off the lake.

"Yes... why?" Haruka asked, almost convinced Shizuru was doing this to get out talking.

"Do you remember the look in my parents' eyes as they waved to me from the steps?" Shizuru asked, closing her eyes softly as a cool breeze hit her.

"Y..yeah." Haruka said, knowing where this was going. "They were happy for you." She answered.

"No." Shizuru laughed bitterly. "They were _relieved_."

Haruka looked down at her friend, feeling her chest tighten with sadness. "That's not true." She said stubbornly. "Your parents love you."

"Perhaps." Shizuru smiled. "But _that..."_ She paused. "..._that_ is why I can never truly have what I desire most."

Haruka stared down at her friend for a very long moment. For the first time in a _very_ long while she was truly speechless.

"Baka." She whispered finally. "That isn't true."

Shizuru smiled softly, seeing the hurt look on her friend's face. "I'm sorry Haruka-san. I didn't mean to burden you." She got up slowly, brushing off her skirt. "I believe it's my turn to cook dinner, is it not? I think I'll get started on that."

Shizuru turned around, feeling somehow lighter. She gave Haruka a genuine smile before walking off towards the dorms. The blond haired girl had helped her more then she would ever know.

Sometimes even she needed someone to talk to.

* * *

"I'm starving Mai." Chie sighed. "Please hurry up?"

"Okay people..." Mai said, exasperated to the extreme. "...the chicken has to thaw. It's not my fault!"

"Hm?" Natsuki said, glancing up from her motorcycle magazine. She'd already picked out the model she wanted to buy. Not that the monthly living allowance her parents gave her would cover even enough to make a down payment.

"You know? Thaw?" Mai said, sighing.

"Oh." Natsuki said, glancing at the tray of chicken in Mai's hands. Before Mai could register what she was doing a thin line of steam rose up from the chicken.

Chie sighed in relief. "Thank God."

Mai looked down at the now nicely thawed chicken. "Don't you think you could have done that a bit sooner?" She asked, grinning.

Natsuki shrugged. "Theoretically."

Nao snickered from across the room, and Natsuki went back to flipping through pages.

"Hey Natsuki?" Chie asked, walking over to her bed.

"Yes Chie?" Natsuki asked, the look on her face molded to terrify.

Chie simply smiled, having developed at least a partial immunity to the glare by this point. "Well, you know that thing we were talking about earlier?" Chie asked, watching as the glare took on a whole new level of scary.

"I know what _you_ were talking about earlier." Natsuki replied, closing her magazine very slowly.

"Well, I just wanted to say.. try not to think about it so much." Chie said, trying to look considerate. "Just completely don't worry about it. I'm sorry to have been so pushy."

Natsuki raised her eyebrows as Chie turned and walked back to her bed.

Chie grinned to herself. You gotta love reverse psychology.

Natsuki opened her magazine, her mind going back to what Chie had been saying. Her eyes glided over the page, but she didn't read a word.

_Was...was I really staring at her? _Natsuki asked herself, her stomach clenching in worry. She already knew the answer, she just couldn't bring herself to admit it.

_So? _She finally asked herself. So what if she was staring at her? That didn't mean anything, did it? Chie stared at tons of girls, but she was never serious with them.

Natsuki breathed deeply. She'd never stared at _anyone_ before. At least not the way she stared at Shizuru. Shizuru had changed her somehow. _She changed everything._

Natsuki brushed her hair back nervously. Nothing about any of this made sense to her. _Why now? _Why were these things just happening now? And to **her** of all people. She'd never acted like this before. Not to guys _or_ girls.

_But... feeling this way... does that really make me g..._

"Dinner!" Mai yelled. Natsuki jumped, looking around as if to make sure no one had heard her thoughts.

Chie grinned from the other side of the room. Stage two was well in process. With a satisfied sigh she got up, whacked Nao on the head with her magazine, dodged Nao's claws, and sat down at the table.

* * *

"I believe dinner is ready." Shizuru called from the kitchen. She set three plates out, waiting patiently for her roommates to arrive.

Haruka walked in first, meeting her eyes. Shizuru smiled, trying to relay that she was doing a lot better. Of course, Haruka didn't pick up the subtlety.

"So are you going to tell me?" Haruka asked, sitting down at the table.

"What is it you wish to know?" Shizuru asked as if she really had no clue.

"Who it is." Haruka sighed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Shizuru quickly replied, seeing Yukino sluggishly walk into the room.

"What's wrong Haruka-chan?" Yukino asked, seeing the angry look on the blond girl's face.

"Can I?" Haruka asked Shizuru, glancing over at Yukino.

Shizuru shook her head softly. She really didn't want anyone else to know.

Yukino watched the exchange, feeling a little left out. "W..what is it? Fujino-san, is everything okay?" She asked, adjusting her glasses.

Haruka glared at Shizuru. Shizuru sighed. "If you must." She said, sitting down. It didn't matter if Haruka told the whole school. Ultimately, it wouldn't change anything.

"Bubuzuke is in love." Haruka pointed at Shizuru, almost accusingly.

_Love? _Shizuru asked herself. Was she in love? She considered it for a moment. _What else would it be?_

Yukino blushed. "Really?" She asked, suddenly very curious. "With who?"

"She won't say." Haruka turned back to Shizuru. "Unless somehow she's changed her mind and decided _not _to be annoyingly impossible for once."

Shizuru gave Haruka an amused look. "Unfortunately I am feeling quite, how did you put it? … Annoyingly impossible at the moment."

Haruka groaned. "Shizuru!" A small shock wave blew Shizuru's hair back.

"Please." Shizuru said firmly. "I have already told you both too much. I hope you two realize that this matter is extremely private."

Haruka and Yukino exchanged glances. Something about the way Shizuru spoke told them to stop. Haruka spooned out some rice onto her plate with a sigh. Why was Shizuru always so hard on herself?

Shizuru could be such a baka sometimes.

* * *

Natsuki remained quiet all through dinner, much to Chie's amazement. The girl was giving things some serious thought. She really _must_ have been oblivious to start with.

"That was good Mai." Natsuki smiled. "Thanks." She walked over and put her plate in the sink. Grabbing the mayo off of the table, she walked over and put it back in the fridge.

Natsuki walked into the bedroom, lying down on her bed. _I wish Shizuru was here. _She couldn't help but always made sense when Shizuru explained them to her. Of course, this was the one thing Natsuki could never ask her.

"Are you okay Natsuki?" Chie asked, walking over to her bed. "You look very pensive."

"I do think about things occasionally." Natsuki growled. Chie _had_ been the one to start all of this up again.

"Well, if you need to talk..." Chie said for what seemed like the hundredth time. "You know I'm here for you."

Natsuki hesitated. Chie would know about things like this...right? And she did offer after all.

_Are you really going to ask __**Chie**__ about this? _Natsuki asked herself, horrified at the thought.

She glanced over at Chie who was smiling reassuringly from across the room. Natsuki gulped. It depended. How badly did she want answers?

She rolled over, facing the wall. She thought back to the ice incident. Blushing she remembered the way she had felt when she fell on top of Shizuru. The way the ice had melted against her will. The way she couldn't stop staring at Shizuru's lips. None of that was normal.

Natsuki gulped, making up her mind.

Tomorrow she would go to Chie for advice.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I give you... Chapter 10! :D I hope everyone likes it! Lol, there's a lot less angst in this chapter. Which is good cause I got some serious residual angst from writing the last one lol.**

**Oh, and thanks again for all the amazing reviews I've gotten, they really mean a lot to me!!! :D**

**Thanks for reading!!! Reviews greatly appreciated! :D**

**Chapter # 10: Personal Advice**

**

* * *

**"Natsuki get up!"Mai yelled furiously from across the room. "Do you know have any idea how late you are!?"

Natsuki got up suddenly, seeing Mai and Chie already dressed in their uniforms.

"What!?" Natsuki asked, panicking.

"We've already eaten. You said you'd get up and meet us, but I guess you fell back asleep." Chie told her, a worried expression on her face. "Class starts in six minutes Natsuki. We can't wait for you any longer."

"What!!?" Natsuki yelled glancing over at the clock. Her eyes widened in shock. There was no way she'd make it in time. "Why didn't you wake me up!?"

Chie and Mai paused, looking at each other. Chie cracked first, breaking down into hysterics. Mai collapsed after her.

Natsuki blinked. _Why the hell are they laughing!?_ Then it occurred to her. It was Saturday.

"Baka!!!" Natsuki yelled, throwing her pillow with as much force as she could muster.

"Told you it'd be worth it!" Chie grinned ducking quickly as the pillow soared over her head. Natsuki's eyes narrowed as she heard all too familiar snickering come from the bed across the room.

Nao had collapsed on the bed, rolling over in laughter. Natsuki's eyes narrowed. Someone was going to pay for this.

"Did you get it?" Chie asked, popping her cell phone out of Nao's hand and into her own.

"I got it!" Nao laughed in between gasps for air. She unlike her friends, was wearing regular clothes. "You were so right Chie... that was so worth it."

"Hey, you're not the one who had to get dressed up." Mai laughed, taking off her Fuuka Academy jacket. "Come on, let me see." She leaned over to watch the video.

Natsuki stared mouth open in a mixture of shock and complete and utter fury. She slowly closed her mouth, breathing deeply. "I swear to you Chie..." She said dangerously slowly. "...If you keep that video...I will smash that and every cellphone you buy after that."

Her voice left no room for maneuvering. Chie and Mai paled. Nao was quite pleased the show hadn't died down after all.

"Do you understand?" Natsuki asked, raising her eyebrows. She didn't have to use her power to freeze everyone in the room. Mai shuddered. Chie cradled her cellphone protectively in her hands.

"B..but..." Chie started, stopping when she saw the look on Natsuki's face. She sighed, crest fallen. "At least let me watch it once!" She pleaded.

Natsuki shook her head, her eyes never leaving Chie's. Chie suddenly found it extremely hard to swallow. Glancing down at the screen, a look of complete loss and regret on her face, she pressed the delete button. Natsuki slowly breathed out, not wanting to show how relieved she was.

"Now..." Natsuki started. "What's for breakfast?"

"I'm on it." Mai sighed, walking over to the kitchen. She honestly might have paid to see that video.

Natsuki groaned and flopped back onto her pillow. It wasn't exactly the ideal way to start a weekend.

* * *

"Nao, you're on dishes duty." Mai grinned, waiting eagerly for her friend's reaction. They had just finished breakfast, and were working on cleaning up.

"I hate you." Nao replied, walking over to the sink.

"Oh, and Nao?" Mai called after her. Nao turned around, raising her eyebrows.

"Don't use your claws again. That's _so_ not the way to scrape off food, okay?" Mai said. The few plates they had didn't need any more scratches.

Nao glared and turned back to the overflowing sink.

Natsuki smirked. The day was certainly looking a bit better.

"So..." Mai started, glancing over to Natsuki and Chie. "...who wants to go clothes shopping?"

Natsuki raised her eyebrows, clearly this girl didn't know her at all.

Chie grinned at the look on Natsuki's face. "Sorry Mai. I have to get on my homework. I still have that bomb essay to write, remember?"

Mai sighed, nodding. "Natsuki?"

"No thanks." Natsuki smirked. "Shoppings not..."

"...not your thing?" Mai finished for her. "Yeah, I know. Well then Nao. Looks like it's just you and me."

"Excuse me?" Nao asked, putting down the plate she'd been scrubbing. "I don't think so Mai."

"Why not?"Mai asked, offended.

"I have things to do." Nao replied, not really having a good answer. "Although I did finish _my_ essay." She smirked at Chie.

"Please?" Mai asked. "I'll do the dishes when we get back." She offered. Nao hesitated, dishes weren't _that_ bad. She glanced down at the mayo stuck to Natsuki's plate, gulping. On second thought...

"Okay then." Nao replied, backing away from the mess. Sure shopping was bad, but compared to that mess it looked a hell of a lot better.

"Great." Mai grinned excitedly. "We'll be back in a couple hours."

"Okay." Chie smiled, waiting patiently for them to leave. In her opinion this was a golden opportunity.

Natsuki gulped. That would mean she'd be alone with Chie. Sure, she had decided she wanted to talk to her. But so soon? _It's not exactly something you run to tell your friends. Oh, by the way guys... how do I know if I have a crush on my partner...who happens to be not only a girl, but the most popular girl in school? Any ideas?_

Natsuki blushed. _A crush? _Since when did _she_ have a crush on anybody? Mai grabbed her purse quickly and the two girls left.

Natsuki and Chie were now officially alone.

* * *

Natsuki cleared her throat nervously, glancing over at Chie from the other side of the room. Both girls were sprawled out on their bed with their homework. Not that Natsuki understood what to do... even if she could concentrate.

She took a deep breath. That was it... on the count of three she would talk to Chie. She silently counted to three in her head, opening her mouth. Nothing came out. She blushed, looking back down at her math text book.

_God, just ask her! _Natsuki silently yelled to herself. _Since when were you scared of anything?! _Natsuki spoke up quickly, before she could decide against it.

"C...chie?" Natsuki asked, rolling over.

"Yep?" Chie asked, trying not to show her relief. _Thank God!_

"H..how...." Natsuki started, then hesitated a blush forming quickly on her face. _Am I really just going to throw it out there like that? Isn't that rushing it a bit?!_

"Yes?" Chie pushed, silently praying. _ Come on Natsuki, you can do it._

"What did you get for number seven?" Natsuki asked quickly, sighing. This would be a lot harder then she'd anticipated.

"X plus six, X minus six." Chie replied quietly. Clearly that wasn't what the blue haired girl wanted to ask her. "It's a perfect square, right?" Chie said, glancing over at Natsuki.

"O..oh." Natsuki replied, turning back to her book. "Yeah." _Damn it, Natsuki. What's wrong with you?_

Chie turned back to her book, thinking. She couldn't blame Natsuki. It definitely wasn't an easy topic to talk about. Especially not in high school. Maybe she should try a different approach.

Chie sighed dramatically, closing her book loudly. Natsuki turned to look at her, eyebrows raised.

"I can't concentrate." Chie sighed again, putting her book down.

"Why?" Natsuki asked, looking at her like she'd lost her mind.

"I think... I think I have a crush on someone." Chie said trying to sell it. It was true of course, but the angst between her and Aoi had disappeared the first time they kissed. Chie smiled softly, remembering.

Natsuki gulped. Maybe if she could just work her questions into the conversation...

"H..how do you know?" She asked nervously, closing her book. Chie grinned. Stage two complete. Finally the girl was willing to talk to her. _Commence stage three_. Chie thought to herself as she walked over to Natsuki's bed and sat down beside her.

"Well..." Chie started, thinking as she went. Of all questions to start with that wasn't exactly the easiest. "... you just know." She said finally, thinking about Aoi. "It's...it's everything. The way you can't stop looking at them, the way you feel when they get too close. That sort of thing." She said laughing a little.

"Why? Do you think you like... someone?" Chie asked, careful not to sound like she was teasing.

"What!?" Natsuki blushed. "N..no. Of course not." She said quickly, looking down at her textbook.

"Natsuki." Chie said softly. "You can tell me who it is. I'm not going to tell anyone." _Well, except maybe Aoi, but she won't tell anyone either._

"I...I can't." Natsuki said after a moment, blushing. There was no way she could tell Chie. It would be like admitting everything she was afraid of was true

"Not telling me doesn't make it any less true." Chie said, almost as if she'd read her mind. Natsuki blushed even more. _How the hell does Chie know these things?_

"Well..." Natsuki swallowed hard. "What would you do if you thought you liked someone?"

"Well, this is _me_ Natsuki." Chie grinned. "I hit on them and then go from there."

_I am definitely __**not**__ flirting with Shizuru! _Natsuki told herself firmly. She didn't even know how to flirt, and Shizuru would no doubt pick up on it. Natsuki didn't know what she'd do if Shizuru ever found out about this.

"You on the other hand..." Chie continued. "...I can tell you don't have crushes very often."

"More like never." Natsuki snorted. "I don't like people in generral."

Chie nodded grinning. "Yeah but... with one exception, right?" She asked, watching Natsuki's reaction.

"I...I don't know." Natsuki said finally, completely embarrassed that she was having this conversation. The only person she could really imagine having a conversation like this with was Shizuru. Shizuru was so easy to talk to. Natsuki paused, thinking. She hadn't even known her for very long. Why did she feel like she knew her for years? Her smile faded quickly. She could never tell Shizuru about this conversation.

"You know... what does it even matter?" Natsuki said quickly, crossing her arms. "Even if I did like someone... which I don't... it can't happen..._ever._"

"Why not?" Chie asked, smiling softly. "Because she's a girl?"

"What!?" Natsuki yelled, glancing around quickly. She realized no one else was in the room, but that didn't stop her from blushing furiously. "What are you talking about!?" She exclaimed quickly. "I _don't_ like anyone... _especially_ not a girl."

Chie couldn't help it. She groaned. "Okay... I'm just going to spit this out here Natsuki." She said quickly. "Even if you do like another girl... that doesn't mean she won't like you back in the same way. It _is_ possible you know."

"No." Natsuki said firmly. "It's really not." Shizuru... not only was she a girl... she had so many admirers it was insane. _And why... _Natsuki bit her lip. _Why out of everyone would she choose you?_

"She looks at you the same way, you know." Chie said, looking Natsuki in the eyes. "I would never lie about something like this."

"Who are you talking about?!" Natsuki asked, blushing. She already knew. Was she really so obvious that even Chie could see how she felt?

"Who else have I been talking about for days?" Chie laughed.

"What... S..Shizuru?" Natsuki laughed like Chie was insane. "A...are you kidding me?"

Chie grinned. "Yeah, I know. Crazy right?" She laughed. Natsuki was just about to fake a laugh when Chie abruptly stopped. "You only ravish her with your _eyes_ from across the locker room!" Chie exclaimed, suddenly not smiling anymore. "Natsuki, please. You're offending what little intelligence I have."

"I...what!?" Natsuki asked, not sure what she just heard.

"Ravish." Chie nodded solemnly. Natsuki blushed. Hard. "Now onto the more important subject... why don't you think you have a chance with her?" Chie asked.

"What!? No one has a chance with her!" Natsuki yelled. "Have you seen her?!"

Chie laughed. Oh God, Natsuki was so cute. "Have you seen yourself?" She asked, grinning. "Totally not an issue."

"Look!" Natsuki yelled, having enough. There was no way. "Just tell me, how do you stop yourself from liking someone? And I'm _not_ talking about Shizuru."

"Stop it?" Chie asked, surprised. "Why would you want to?"

"Please." Natsuki said, her voice softening. "Just tell me so I can get all this out of the way."

"If you like someone that's one thing." Chie said quietly. "If you love someone it's a whole other story. Then again, it's probably a little soon for love." Chie admitted. "But I do personally believe in love at first sight."

Natsuki gulped. _Love? _It was _way_ too soon for that. She wasn't even sure if she liked Shizuru, let alone... _No. _She told herself. There was no way she'd fall for someone that easily.

"Do you want my advice?" Chie asked Natsuki. Natsuki sighed.

"What would you know about it Chie?" She asked, burying her head down in her pillow. "I hate this."

Chie laughed. "Just act normally around her. But, if she starts acting like you guys are more then friends... try _not_ to call her a baka, okay?" She asked.

Natsuki couldn't help but laugh. "Shut up Chie." She grinned.

"Now." Chie said, walking over to her bed. "I'm teaching you how to factor, cause you clearly need some help."

Natsuki blushed angrily though she was really grateful for the help. "...Thanks Chie." She sighed, opening her textbook.

"No problem." Chie grinned. "But seriously... if anything happens between you two... I want to know about it."

Natsuki scowled.

Chie grinned. She had a feeling if Shizuru was as flirtatious as she was with everyone else, things would progress quickly and easily. _God I'm such a good friend. _She praised herself, grinning.

* * *

By the time Monday came around, Natsuki got increasingly nervous. Mai didn't have any problems waking her up. As soon as Natsuki realized it was Monday she couldn't get back to sleep if she tried.

"Just act normal." Chie told her quietly as they walked out the door. Natsuki nodded, not really sure what normal was for her.

When they got to the cafeteria Natsuki immediately glanced over at Shizuru's new table; right beside theirs. She wasn't there yet. Breathing a small sigh of relief Natsuki walked over, grabbed a plate and started shoveling on food.

"You're up early." Shizuru turned to face her from the next table, holding her plate. She couldn't help but feel nervous after the way things had ended last time. "I never see you until at least 7:50." She smiled.

Natsuki froze. She definitely wasn't expecting that.

"Y..yeah. I couldn't really sleep." She said sheepishly. _Just act normal, remember?_

Chie glanced over. She was already at their table. She blinked a few times, then silently prayed Natsuki wouldn't drop her plate.

"Is something the matter?" Shizuru asked, walking over. _She must not have gotten much sleep, she looks pretty tired._

"Huh? No." Natsuki quickly replied, blushing slightly. "Everything is...normal." _Normal_? _ Where did that come from?_

"I'm glad to hear it." Shizuru replied. From the looks of things, Natsuki had gotten about as much sleep as she had last night. _I wonder what she was worried about?_

Natsuki smiled, studying the older girl's face. Shizuru looked tired too.

"Good morning Shizuru-sama." A grade nine girl walked past, blushing.

"Ara, same to you." Shizuru turned beaming at the younger girl before she left.

Natsuki's stomach knotted. _Does Shizuru know her? _"Do you know her?" She asked raising her eyebrows. Why was she getting so worked up about it? Shizuru _was_ allowed to have friends.

Shizuru smiled. "Not by name, though she's very friendly."

"I'll bet." Natsuki replied, turning and grabbing a hash brown from the table. "D..do you want one?" Natsuki asked, blushing as she remembered the last time they were here.

Shizuru's eyes followed the younger girl's gaze to the hash brown. Her stomach clenched. "No thank you Natsuki." She replied quickly, trying not to wince as she remembered the first time she was forced to eat one.

"I thought you liked them." Natsuki replied, confused.

Shizuru opened her mouth to come up with an excuse. The look on Natsuki's face was too adorable. "...Yes...well..."

"Here." Natsuki smiled, picking one up and putting it onto her plate. "That way you won't have to go back up."

Shizuru watched helplessly as Natsuki placed it carefully beside her salad. "A..ara, thank you." Shizuru tried to smile. _**Never**__ again._

Natsuki smiled back, a little bewildered by the look on Shizuru's face. "Are you getting anything else?" Natsuki asked.

Shizuru glanced down at the hash brown and shook her head. She'd have enough trouble stomaching what she had. Maybe she could discretely throw it out. Shizuru glanced around for the nearest garbage.

"Me neither." Natsuki replied, glancing over at their tables. No one was at Shizuru's table yet. Chie, Mai and Nao were the only ones at hers.

Shizuru followed her gaze. "Ara, it seems I'll be dining alone." She laughed. "My roommates aren't as enthusiastic as I am about getting out of bed on time."

"You should see _me_ in bed." Natsuki smirked, nodding.

Both girls took in what she'd just said. Both girls blushed furiously.

"O..oh, God..." Natsuki stuttered. "That's _**not **__..."_

"I understand." Shizuru laughed, trying not to spill her tea. She'd be thinking about that one for the rest of the week. She felt her nervousness quickly disappear. She could never stay nervous around the younger girl for long.

Natsuki nodded, blushing even harder. She quickly glanced over at her table then hesitated.

"Well, you could eat with me, I guess... u..until your friends get here?" She offered quietly.

Shizuru blushed softly. Did Natsuki know how sweet she could be? "I would like that." She smiled, their eyes meeting briefly.

Natsuki quickly looked away, walking over to their table. Shizuru followed behind her.

"Shizuru's going to eat with us until her friends get here." Natsuki told her friends as she sat down. Chie grinned, giving Natsuki a thumbs up signal. Natsuki glared at her from across the table.

"I hope you won't feel I'm intruding." Shizuru smiled politely sitting down beside Natsuki.

"Of course not Fujino-san." Mai smiled, exchanging a look with Nao.

"Arigato." Shizuru replied, picking up her fork.

"So, tell us Fujino-san..." Mai started, trying to make conversation. Shizuru looked up. "...how did you guys do on the Power ops. Natsuki wouldn't really tell us anything."

"Yes I did!" Natsuki replied defensively. She'd of course left out the part where she was on the ground leaning over her partner.

Shizuru laughed. "Ara, it went quite well considering. Natsuki is a very good partner."

Chie grinned. Uh huh.

"Kuga?" Nao asked, looking confused.

"Surprising isn't it?" Shizuru grinned.

"Hey!?" Natsuki replied, feeling a little teamed up on. Shizuru laughed.

Natsuki glared at Nao, rubbing her leg. Why was it suddenly so sore?

The dull ache gradually grew into a piercing pain. Natsuki refrained from crying out, glancing around quickly. Tomoe gave her a little wave as she walked past to her table.

Shizuru noticed a sudden change in Natsuki's posture. Suddenly the blue haired girl looked up, her eyes filled with rage. Shizuru inhaled sharply, following the girl's gaze to Tomoe, her own eyes narrowing in a similar matter. _Is she hurting her!?_

The pain subsided fairly quickly. Natsuki's anger, however, was another story. She quickly tried to get up, stopping when she felt Shizuru's hand on her own.

Natsuki paused, looking down at their hands clenched tightly under the table. Shizuru turned to look at Natsuki, her eyes relaying her panic.

Natsuki's glare softened, and she looked back down at their joined hands. She looked back over in Tomoe's direction, glaring at her from across the room. She was too far away for Natsuki to use her power.

Natsuki glanced back up at Shizuru, dying to get up and finish what Tomoe had started. Shizuru looked her in the eyes again, trailing her thumb along the back of Natsuki's hand soothingly. Natsuki's hand tingled with the motion.

"Please." Shizuru said quietly. No one else at the table heard. They hadn't seen what happened. "Stay with me."

Natsuki blushed faintly, hesitating. She nodded slowly after a moment, unable to say no. She blushed and looked down at her plate. Shizuru forced herself to let go of Natsuki's hand, and they quietly continued eating their breakfast.

"What are you doing over here?" Haruka asked, startling the whole table. She raised her eyebrows at Shizuru.

"I'm glad you finally made it Haruka-san." Shizuru smiled, implying the blond's lateness. Haruka glared, eye's narrowing.

"If you'll excuse me." Shizuru laughed, nodding to the table. She glanced back at Natsuki giving her one last smile before walking over to the next table.

Natsuki watched her sit down with her friends, her stomach clenching. She felt almost like Shizuru had chosen them over her. She quickly turned back to her plate, eating what was left.

After a very thorough discussion on who was going to karaoke next Saturday the warning bell finally rang. Natsuki sighed in relief, grabbing her bag. Her friends got up, doing the same.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru called out from the next table. Natsuki turned. "I'll see you in powers class." She smiled.

Natsuki blushed, nodding back. Chie casually coughed, nudging Natsuki as she walked past. Natsuki glared at her, following her friends out the door.

* * *

"So, I hope you all enjoyed the power ops last Friday." Yohko smiled at her class. "Today we'll be switching things up a little. We're now officially onto lock-picking. We'll be spending two days on it, so you'll have to learn quickly."

Natsuki grinned, remembering Shizuru picking the door lock last Friday. She couldn't help but blush when she remembered the show she had to put on.

"You'll each be receiving a pair of lock picks." Yohko continued. "They will of course, be handed in after every class."

There was a series of groans. _Wait. _Natsuki thought to herself. _How did Shizuru get hers?_

Twenty minutes later, everyone was set up at a desk with a different type of lock. There were eight in total. Once you picked one you moved onto the next. Natsuki fumbled with the lock picks, trying to hear a click. How did Shizuru manage to make this look so easy?

She sighed, yanking the picks out.

"What's wrong?" Mai asked from the next table over. There was a small click as her lock opened. She smiled in satisfaction.

"I can't pick locks." Natsuki sighed.

"Haven't you seen TV?" Mai asked, a little surprised Natsuki was using lock picks.

"Um... yes?" Natsuki replied, no clue what the redhead was trying to say.

"You just have to freeze the inside, right?" Mai pushed. "The water expands and shoves the pins out of the way."

"But I can't make water." Natsuki frowned. "I can only do ice. Or water from ice."

"Then make some ice, melt it and pour it into the lock." Mai laughed. "Come on, get creative Natsuki."

Natsuki sighed, grabbing a page protector and making a cone shape out of it. She held the narrow end up to the lock opening and formed a large piece of ice inside. Concentrating, she melted the ice just enough to turn into water. She watched, head bent in concentration as most of the water flowed down into the lock. When the lock was full she froze the ice, listening carefully.

Mai watched as the blue haired girl's face lit up. The lock swung open and Natsuki grinned. "Thanks." She smiled, walking over to the next station. She was beginning to like lock picking.

"I'm done." Nao announced to their teacher, dangling the last lock from an extended claw.

"A..already?" Yohko asked, looking at the row of opened locks in front of her. "What have you been up to?" She asked suspiciously. Only someone with major experience could have managed that.

Nao smirked, turning over to Natsuki and looking down at her one opened lock. Natsuki glared, upset that Nao had finally beaten her in Operations.

"At least I can disable a bomb." She mouthed, watching Nao glare back. With a small grin Natsuki turned to her next lock, repeating the process.

* * *

At lunch Natsuki didn't hear anything else from Tomoe. The insane teenager sat at her usual spot, but didn't look her way once. Natsuki smirked, telling herself it was because the teal haired girl didn't want to push her too far. Shizuru's close proximity kept Natsuki from going up and attacking her anyway, but just barely.

Science was just as uneventful, the highlight off the class being, of course, the end. Natsuki was extremely relieved when the bell finally rang. At least powers would keep her conscious until the end of the day.

* * *

"If that had been any longer..." Nao started as they walked into the change room. "...I think I may have clawed my eyes out."

"Don't say that." Mai scolded.

Natsuki grinned, taking off her bag and jacket. One quick glance confirmed that Shizuru was already there. Natsuki swallowed quickly, feeling an all to familiar rush of emotions as Shizuru pulled up her shorts slowly.

She quickly looked away, blushing. Chie caught her eye, smirking. _Ravish_. Chie mouthed, making Natsuki blush even harder.

"Alright." Midori instructed when they had finished. "Today, since it _is_ the start of a wonderful new school week..."

Everyone blinked. Natsuki was ready to walk out right there.

"... I want the groups who feel they're ready to try some power sparring. It's good practice for both in the field and the end of the year competitions if you want to enter. However, just because I've said you can use powers doesn't mean I want anyone slashed open with claws..." Midori shot a knowing look in Nao's direction, making her smirk. "...or beat into a bloody pulp." She turned to the other end to look at Reito. He smiled, nodding. "Now, that being said... off you go." She grinned, clapping her hands once.

Natsuki walked over to Shizuru feeling a little nervous. Power sparring? How was she supposed to stand a chance against Shizuru? She didn't even stand a chance in normal sparring.

"So, are we going to do it?" Natsuki asked.

"Ara, I don't think so Natsuki." Shizuru smiled. Using her power on Natsuki was the last thing she wanted.

"Why not?" Natsuki asked, suddenly a little offended. Shizuru didn't think she was good enough?

"I think we should continue where we left off." Shizuru replied, not really giving her an answer.

"But... Shizuru, seriously... why not?" Natsuki repeated, wanting a reason. She wouldn't be _that_ bad.

Shizuru started walking over to their area. Natsuki followed behind her.

"Shizuru?" She asked.

"I don't like to use my power." Shizuru reminded her quietly. Natsuki stopped when they reached their spot.

"Yeah, but it's allowed." Natsuki argued. Permission to use it should change things for her.

"It shouldn't be." Shizuru replied, quickly looking away. "Now, let's begin, shall we?" She quickly said, smiling for Natsuki's benefit.

Natsuki opened her mouth to protest, but decided against it. _Why does she hate using her power so much?_

"Yeah." Natsuki nodded, smiling back. She could tell Shizuru didn't want to talk about it.

"We can, however, do something close to normal sparring if you wish." Shizuru added, hoping at least this way it wouldn't seem like a let down.

"Sure." Natsuki nodded. "I don't really know what you mean though." She added, a little confused.

Shizuru smiled. "Attack me." She said simply.

"W..what?" Natsuki asked. She didn't want to hurt Shizuru.

"Arigato for your concern." Shizuru laughed. "I assure you it's unwarranted. This is just a test to see how well you can use what you've learned in the field."

"B..but... what if I hurt you?" Natsuki asked. Shizuru blushed faintly at the look of concern on her face.

She smiled, and shook her head. "You won't."

"I'm not that bad." Natsuki replied defensively.

Shizuru laughed. "I want you to use a combination of both kicks _and_ punches. I will only be on the defensive, so you won't have to worry about defending yourself in the process. Now, let's begin." She quickly got into a defensive stance, watching Natsuki carefully for signs of movement.

Natsuki hesitated, getting into the stance Shizuru had shown her. "A..are you sure about this?" She asked, blushing. "I don't want to hurt you." She said quietly, locking eyes with Shizuru.

Shizuru smiled softly, the words touching her a lot more then Natsuki knew. "Please Natsuki." She replied, unwilling to lift her eyes off of the younger girl's. Natsuki sighed, sinking a little lower into her stance.

Wincing slightly she punched slowly towards Shizuru's left shoulder.

Shizuru batted her arm out of the way, raising her eyebrows at the half-hearted attempt. "I really hope you can do better then that." She grinned.

"Fine." Natsuki laughed, trying to glare. Quickly she kicked towards Shizuru's stomach. Shizuru jumped back, watching Natsuki's body carefully.

Natsuki being still very inexperienced, Shizuru had no trouble blocking her next four punches. Natsuki swept her leg out, trying to trip her. Shizuru stepped back, blocking her elbow at the same time.

Natsuki paused, slightly out of breath. Was she really that bad? She bit her lip in concentration, a movement that wasn't missed by her partner. Shizuru smiled, trying not to stare at the younger girl's mouth.

Natsuki spun quickly, throwing her left leg toward Shizuru with as much speed as she could manage. Shizuru was a caught a little off guard by the speed, but she grabbed her leg in time, shoving it away.

"Impressive." Shizuru said, surprised. Natsuki looked up, wondering if Shizuru was joking. She decided Shizuru wasn't and blushed slightly before pivoting and aiming her left leg towards her side. Shizuru kicked her leg out of the way, maintain perfect balance.

Natsuki steadied herself quickly, throwing a punch with her left hand towards Shizuru's stomach and kicking quickly after with her right.

Shizuru slammed her arm down in Natsuki's, using the same arm to block her leg. She used her left to block Natsuki's next two punches and jumped back to avoid a third kick.

Natsuki paused, panting. This was definitely harder then she'd thought.

* * *

"If I could have everyone's attention." Midori cleared her throat and looked up at the clock. There was five minutes left in the period, but her class had made quite a mess.

"Everyone." Midori repeated, glancing over at the one group who hadn't stopped. Natsuki watched, slightly horrified as Nao used her claws to slice off Shiho's hair as it grew quickly towards her neck. Nao noticed before her partner, retracting her claws quickly. Shiho's hair quickly returned back to it's normal length. Natsuki winced. That was so creepy.

"Thank you." Midori replied, turning back to the rest of the class. "Now, we have five minutes left. As you can probably all see you've got some cleaning to do." She turned to one group in particular.

Natsuki and Shizuru followed their teacher's gaze to a large pile of slime stuck to the ground. Natsuki turned slowly to Shizuru.

"Kaito?" She asked grinning. Shizuru laughed, nodding.

"Each set of partners are responsible for their own square. If you've finished early you can go get changed." Midori finished, watching as her students hurried to get cleaned up.

"You know I'll get through tommorow." Natsuki grinned, referring to the fact that she hadn't managed to hit Shizuru once. She was still a little out of breath from the exertion.

Shizuru glanced down at the younger girl, trying not to inhaled sharply. Natsuki was covered in a thin layer of perspiration from their lesson. Shizuru's mind screamed self control, but her body wasn't exactly listening.

"I'm sure you will Natsuki." Shizuru grinned, trying not to stare as the blue haired girl walked past.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Chapter 11! :D I really hope you enjoy it!!! Lol, it gets slightly less depressing as the chapter goes on.**

**Thanks for reading!!! Review very much appreciated!!! :D  
**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Falling Too Hard**

The next day, Mai was once again surprised how easily Natsuki got up.

"We'll are we going or what?" Natsuki asked, combing her hair quickly. Mai glanced at the clock. It was 7:35, making this the second day Natsuki had actually gotten up on time.

"Natsuki?" Mai asked, raising her eyebrows in shock. "A..are you feeling okay?"

"Tired." Natsuki replied, turning to face her friend. "Is something wrong?" She asked throwing her comb blindly. There was a small bang as it slammed into the wall by her bed. Natsuki winced, she'd get it later.

Mai and Chie exchanged concerned looks. Nao raised her eyebrows as she walked out of the bathroom.

"You don't think... a shape shifter..." Chie started, whispering to Mai.

"Hey!" Natsuki yelled, glaring. Chie and Mai lost all color in their faces, much to Natsuki's satisfaction. She wasn't _that_ bad at getting up. _Shouldn't they be glad I'm not making them late?_

"Nope it's her." Mai grinned. "You know anyone else who can glare like that?"

Natsuki and Nao exchanged a small smirk. Chie shook her head. "Yeah, good point."

"Can we go now?" Natsuki asked impatiently, watching Mai grab her books.

"In a hurry are we?" Chie grinned, winking to Natsuki from across the room. Natsuki blushed, glaring. Just because she was getting up early did _not_ mean it was so she could see Shizuru.

"No." Natsuki said firmly. "I'm just hungry."

"I bet you are." Chie grinned, stopping when she saw Mai and Nao looking at her strangely. "What?" she laughed sheepishly. "I'm hungry too."

Natsuki groaned holding the door open for her friends. Together the four girls made their way to the cafeteria.

* * *

As soon as they got through the door Natsuki glanced over at Shizuru's table. She couldn't help but feel disappointed when she saw Shizuru and her friends already there.

Natsuki quickly pretended like she hadn't even noticed and walked over to get her food. She felt like a baka. _What are you a stalker? You shouldn't care where she sits. _Natsuki quickly got her usual breakfast and walked over to her table. She was careful not to look over as she walked back.

Shizuru glanced up smiling when she saw Natsuki walking over. She waited patiently for the younger girl to say hello, but Natsuki never looked her way. She felt her chest tighten involuntarily. She wasn't used to being unnoticed. _A..ara. Did Natsuki not see me?_

Natsuki found it surprisingly hard not to look over. She purposefully sat with her back to their table,decidingthat if she could somehow ignore Shizuru she could ignore her feelings too. _Just pretend she's not there. You have your own friends, and she has hers. _What was the point of feeling this way if nothing could ever happen?

_And how exactly do you feel about her? _Natsuki asked herself. She sighed, picking up her fork and starting to eat. _I never knew how complicated things like this could be._

Shizuru waited patiently for Natsuki to turn around.

She never did. Shizuru continued eating her food, nodding mindlessly to something Yukino was saying. She laughed periodically for effect, her eyes continually drifting back to the navy haired girl at the table across from her.

Natsuki heard Shizuru laugh. _Just don't look. You can't get too close or this will never go away. Shizuru can only ever be your friend. _Were they even friends? Shizuru had so many... was Natsuki any different from one of her fans?

_Of course she's not looking at me. _Shizuru told herself. _Why would she? _Shizuru hesitated, putting down her fork quietly. She suddenly didn't think she was in the mood to finish eating. _Maybe... _Shizuru let out a deep breath, calming herself down. ..._Maybe if things were always like this it would be for the best. She can never feel for me the way I do for her. Perhaps... if I distance myself things wouldn't be so difficult._

When the warning bell rang Shizuru quickly gathered her books up. She waited for her friend, trying not to watch as Natsuki got up and turned around.

For a second their eyes met, both girl's eyes widening in shock. Natsuki and Shizuru both averted their gaze quickly, pretending nothing had ever happened.

_Pretend like nothing is wrong, or she'll know some thing's up. _Natsuki silently chanted.

_Don't get attached. You have no right. _Shizuru reminded herself, walking out quickly with her friends.

"Good morning." Shizuru smiled to a group of grade nine girls in the corner.

"Sh...Shizuru-sama." Some of them stuttered, blushing. Shizuru looked down at one of them, her hair a lighter blue then Natsuki's.

"Have a nice day." Shizuru smiled, emphasizing her accent for the younger girl. The girl blushed madly, and Shizuru walked over to join Haruka.

"What was that about?" Haruka asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Just being pleasant." Shizuru smiled, walking out the doors. _See, that wasn't so hard was it? There are plenty of other people in the world._

Natsuki paused, having witnessed the display. _W..what was Shizuru doing? _Natsuki glanced back over at the girls, who were still blushing madly. Her stomach clenched dangerously tight. _It's fine Natsuki. _She told herself firmly. _She can do what she wants to. You shouldn't care. _ Natsuki walked out the door like nothing was wrong, cursing silently.

* * *

Lunch was the same. Both girls pretended not to see each other. Both girls were equally hurt the other one didn't notice.

Even lock picking didn't help Natsuki's mood and she could hardly sit through science class when it came around. Shizuru hadn't looked at her once all through lunch. _What does that tell you? _Natsuki asked herself. There was no way it could ever happen.

The bell rang suddenly startling Natsuki into snapping out of it. Her stomach tightened even more when she started the quick walk to their powers class.

"Are you okay Natsuki?" Mai asked. "What are you so worried about?"

Natsuki blushed, glaring. Some times it sucked to have an empath as a friend. "I..I don't get the math." Natsuki lied quickly. Well... that part wasn't a lie... it just wasn't exactly the cause of her distress.

"Oh, yeah, me neither." Mai laughed. "I'll figure it out later." Natsuki nodded, stopping when she walked up to the doorway. Trying not to show her hesitation, Natsuki walked in quickly, making her way to the change room.

She quickly dropped her bag and started getting dressed careful not to look over at the corner where Shizuru was almost sure to be.

Shizuru watched as Natsuki walked in, quickly turning around. _Don't look. _Shizuru told herself, breathing deeply. _This probably wouldn't be such a problem if you weren't so physically attracted. _Shizuru finished putting on her shirt and walked out, staring at the wall to her right as she walked past Natsuki.

Natsuki saw Shizuru leave, not even glancing her way. She quickly put her shirt on, trying to stay collected. _Baka. It's not like Shizuru looks at you the same way. What did you expect?_

Even Chie was a little surprised when Shizuru left without glancing Natsuki's way. She decided not to say anything to Natsuki. No need to worry the navy haired girl.

Natsuki waited for her friends, not wanting to sit by herself. When they finally sat down, Natsuki made sure it was far away from Shizuru. At least this way she could tell herself she was just too far away for Shizuru to notice her.

Shizuru watched quietly as Natsuki sat father away from her then she usually did, laughing at something her friend had said. She looked away quickly, biting her lower lip.

"Hello again." Midori waved happily as she walked in. She took a sip of her water and cleared her throat before continuing. "No power sparring today guys. Especially after the mess you guys left yesterday." She grinned, turning to Kaito. "Next time..." She told him. "...we're putting down paper first." Kaito grinned, nodding sheepishly.

Midori laughed. "Okay, now that we've gotten that out of the way, you can get back together with your partner and continue where you left off."

Natsuki got up nervously, glancing past the crowd to see where Shizuru was.

Shizuru walked slowly over to Natsuki, trying her best to appear normal. _Stay detached _She reminded herself. At least Natsuki wouldn't have to ask her about power sparring for a while.

"What are we doing today?" Natsuki asked.

Shizuru inhaled sharply. _Did Natsuki know it was the first time she had spoken to her all day? _"I think we should continue where we left off." Shizuru said after a moment, watching as Reito and Mai walked past. Without waiting for Natsuki she starting walking over to their area.

Natsuki blushed, not really knowing why. _That was the first time she spoke to me all day. _Usually Shizuru had talked to her at least once before now.

Natsuki quickly walked after Shizuru. "You want me to attack you again?" She asked quickly. She desperately wanted Shizuru's attention, even if that meant asking questions she already knew the answer to.

"Yes." Shizuru smiled quickly, getting into her defensive stance. Natsuki took a deep breath, getting into her stance.

_It...it's almost like she's ignoring me. _Natsuki thought to herself. She started her attack, going through all the motions, but finding it very hard to concentrate. Natsuki noticed Shizuru, once again, had no trouble blocking everything Natsuki threw at her. _Shizuru never has trouble concentrating around me. _She told herself bitterly.

Natsuki threw everything she had into the attack, hoping to at least get some reaction out of Shizuru. She picked up her speed, through she could feel herself wearing out quickly.

Shizuru could tell Natsuki was pushing herself. She found it extremely hard to focus on the attack and not on the girl delivering it. Natsuki hadn't said another word to her after the first two minutes of class.

The only time Shizuru talked to Natsuki was to correct her form or to warn her to keep proper balance.

Natsuki blushed when ever she did. She pushed herself harder, trying to get something resembling praise from the older girl.

"Great job girls." Midori grinned at them when she walked around the classroom. "You two seem to take this very seriously."

Natsuki and Shizuru turned to look at each other before muttering their thanks. Wordlessly they continued, each getting increasingly worried.

By the time Midori told everyone to pack up, both girls were physically and emotionally exhausted.

"Natsuki." Shizuru called before Natsuki walked away. She didn't think she could stand it if Natsuki continued ignoring her. Natsuki turned around hopefully.

"You did very well today." Shizuru smiled, searching for any hint of emotion on the younger girl's face. Natsuki's heart sank. That was all Shizuru had wanted to say? Everyone said that sort of thing to their partner.

"Thanks." Natsuki replied, turning and quickly walking to the change room.

Shizuru felt almost as if she'd been stabbed. She numbly walked to the change room, wanting out of the class as quickly as possible. _Why doesn't she look me in the eyes anymore?_

Both girls left wordlessly with their friends. Natsuki insisted to Mai that nothing was wrong and they started walking back to their dorm.

* * *

The next day played out in a similar manor. Natsuki got up early again, hoping Shizuru would be able to sit with her. Everything had been so perfect two days before. By the time Natsuki and her friends got to the cafeteria Shizuru and her friends were already seated.

Natsuki sat once again with her back facing Shizuru. She didn't think she'd be able to stop herself from looking at her otherwise.

When first period came around both girls were even more worried then they had been the day before. Natsuki understood even less math then usual, slamming her book shut in frustration when the bell finally rung.

"What are we doing in operations?" Mai asked Chie as they walked out.

"How should I know?" Chie laughed.

"I thought you knew everything that went on at this school." Mai replied, grinning.

Chie huffed. "Everything _interesting_ Mai. That doesn't involve classes." She replied defensively.

Nao smirked, walking into the classroom first. Natsuki sat down in her desk, grateful for the distraction when their teacher started talking.

"Good morning." Yohko smiled brightly at her class. "As I'm sure you're all aware, a large portion of the work you will be doing... if you choose to be deployed as members of the FANG unit that is, will be stealth operations. A large part of your role will be to asses potential threats, tail suspects, and deliver or receive intelligence information. Who knows what the key is to a successful stealth operation?"

A boy in their class put up his hand.

"Yes?" Yohko nodded in his direction.

"Uh, stealth?" He asked, making the class laugh.

"Exactly." Yohko grinned. "And that's exactly what we'll be working on today and for the rest of the week."

Natsuki listened carefully as their teacher went through different squad formations, tactics for successful following, and various methods to loose a suspected follower. Natsuki had to admit is was interesting. Almost, but not quite interesting enough to get her mind off of Shizuru.

When their teacher had informed them that tommorow they'd be trying out the tactics on the school grounds the next day she let them out a few minutes early.

* * *

Tomoe stayed away from Natsuki at lunch. Natsuki glanced her way from across the cafeteria. It was almost as if she'd lost interest in her. She felt oddly disappointed. She was definitely in the mood for a fight.

_Then Shizuru would finally have to talk to you. _Natsuki told herself. She glanced back over at Shizuru's table, not surprised when she saw Shizuru laughing at something Reito had said.

Natsuki quickly looked back at her sandwich. She'd suddenly lost her appetite.

Shizuru glanced over at Natsuki one last time before the bell rang. Natsuki met her eyes, quickly looking away. _Baka! She's going to think you're staring at her! No wonder she won't even look at you._

Shizuru inhaled sharply, knowing that look. It was too close to the one her parents had given her. She quickly excused herself from her table.

Natsuki watched as Shizuru said something to her friends, smiling as she got up from the table. Natsuki wanted desperately to go after her. _You know you can't. _She reminded herself.

She would only wind up making Shizuru uncomfortable.

* * *

Natsuki and Shizuru ran through the same exercise in Powers class for a third time. Shizuru seemed to be pleased with Natsuki's progress. The two said as little as possible and by the time class was over Natsuki felt ready to scream.

Shizuru told herself it was for the best. She knew from experience it would hurt less if she didn't get attached. The problem was... she was already so attached she didn't know how to stop.

* * *

When Natsuki reached their room she walked over to her bed, wishing desperately that she could be alone. She couldn't handle talking to her room mates about how awesome their partners were and the new stuff they were learning.

"I'm going to go for a walk." Natsuki said decisively, getting up.

Chie studied the navy haired girl's face. Something was clearly wrong, and she had a feeling it had to do with a certain student council president. "Do you want me to come with you?" Chie offered, hoping Natsuki would let her help.

"No, but thanks anyway." Natsuki smiled genuinely. "I'll see you later." Natsuki grabbed her key and walked out, a destination already set in her mind.

* * *

"Who's cooking?" Haruka asked as soon as Shizuru walked through the door.

"I believe you are Haruka-san." Shizuru replied, carefully putting her bag down.

Haruka groaned. "I was afraid of that." She sighed, having no clue what to cook. "So, how are things going with ice-girl?" She asked, rolling over on her bed.

Shizuru hesitated. She didn't want to think about it.

"She's improving very quickly." She replied, trying to find a way to change the topic without being too obvious. "What are you going to cook?" She asked quickly.

Haruka grunted. "How should I know?"

Shizuru smiled. She glanced down at her bag. She had some homework, but she was too exhausted to get anything done. Not that she could get to sleep if she tried to.

"If you'll excuse me Haruka-san I think I'm going to go to go for a walk." Shizuru smiled, walking towards the door. She already knew where she'd wind up.

"Everything okay?" Haruka asked, watching Shizuru carefully.

"Of course." Shizuru smiled, walking out before her room mate could say another word.

Shizuru reached the pond a few minutes later, lying down beside it like she had before. She allowed herself to slowly close her eyes.

* * *

Natsuki walked slowly through the small forest, glancing around at the fallen twigs and leaves. She reached the other end of the forest quickly, walking towards where she knew the pond was. When she got close enough to get a good view she stopped. Someone was already there, lying down beside it.

Natsuki slowly walked towards the pond, wondering who it was. She stopped a few feet away, shocked. _Is... is that Shizuru? _She asked herself. What would Shizuru be be doing out here? Natsuki carefully walked closer. She stopped before she got too close, listening to the older girl breathe softly. Was she asleep? Natsuki quietly walked the rest of the way over, turning so she could see the older girl's face.

Shizuru was sprawled out on the grass, her head resting peacefully beside her arm. Natsuki watched her for a moment. _She looks so beautiful. _Natsuki caught herself thinking. She knelt down beside her, slowly reaching her arm out.

Natsuki took a deep breath, moving Shizuru's hair gently off of her face. Blushing, Natsuki quickly stood up, taking one last look before she started walking away.

"Na..Natsuki?"

Natsuki froze, turning around slowly. She blushed furiously.

Shizuru lifted her head up slowly, shifting into a sitting position. _Am I dreaming? _Shizuru asked herself, as her vision cleared slowly.

"I...I'm sorry Shizuru..." Natsuki stuttered. Shizuru smiled softly at the blush on Natsuki's face.

"I just.. I was going for a walk and..." Natsuki trailed off. "... you just looked so peaceful..." She blushed even more. "I'm sorry... I'll go..." She started to walk away. _Baka! What the hell were you doing!?_

"Please stay." Shizuru said softly. Natsuki stopped, shocked.

"W..what?" Natsuki asked, meeting Shizuru's gaze.

"Please?" Shizuru repeated, praying Natsuki wouldn't look away.

Natsuki was drawn in by the look in Shizuru's eyes, suddenly finding it a little hard to breathe. She nodded after a moment, not trusting herself to speak.

Shizuru smiled softly, relieved. Natsuki couldn't help but grin as she lay down beside Shizuru.

"So...what are you doing here anyway?" Natsuki asked after a moment, tilting her head so she could look at the older girl.

"I..." Shizuru opened her mouth to speak, hesitating. "I needed to think." She finished carefully.

"About what?" Natsuki asked, meeting her gaze once again.

Shizuru laughed quietly shaking her head. "It's nothing." She smiled, closing her eyes and lying back down on the grass beside Natsuki. Natsuki was with her now, that was all that mattered.

Natsuki turned her head the whole way so she could see Shizuru's face. She blushed at how close together they were. Shizuru was only lying down maybe two feet away.

Natsuki's eyes followed the way Shizuru's hair cascaded down her face, blushing when her eyes finally fell on the older girl's lips. Natsuki bit her bottom lip, breathing deeply.

"You're getting grass in you hair." Natsuki laughed quietly. Shizuru smiled, eyes still closed as Natsuki carefully picked it out for her.

"Arigato." Shizuru whispered, shifting so she was a little closer to Natsuki. She could feel her warmth from where she was lying. Natsuki blushed, studying Shizuru's face as carefully as she could.

Natsuki watched Shizuru until she was sure she was asleep. Natsuki felt her eyes softly close too. It was like everything she had been worried about had just disappeared. She'd had no idea how peaceful the pond could be.

* * *

"Natsuki." A soft voice spoke.

Natsuki heard the voice faintly but didn't want to open her eyes. She felt a hand gently brush her hair off of her face.

"Natsuki." Shizuru whispered a second time, her hand brushing dangerously close to Natsuki's lips. Shizuru glanced down, biting her own lip to stop herself from loosing control.

Natsuki slowly opened her eyes to find Shizuru leaning over her.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki mumbled, getting up slowly. Shizuru carefully let her hand fall from the younger girl's face. Natsuki looked around, it was a little darker out then she remembered.

"It's five thirty." Shizuru smiled, seeing the look on Natsuki's face. "We fell asleep."

Natsuki blushed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to." Shizuru laughed gently, staring into Natsuki's startling green eyes.

"It's quite alright Natsuki." She smiled, blushing faintly. Natsuki rubbed her eyes sleepily, startled when she realized how close they still were.

The two girls stared at each other for a long moment. Shizuru found herself startled by the intense look Natsuki was giving her. _Is everything okay?_

"So..." Natsuki cleared her throat, glancing back over at the pond. "...really, Shizuru what were you doing here?" Natsuki turned back to face her, searching for some hint of the answer in her eyes.

"That's a very complicated question." Shizuru smiled softly, looking away. "...One I unfortunately don't know how to answer."

Natsuki hesitated. "Okay." She said after a moment, strangely satisfied with the answer.

Shizuru turned back, grateful Natsuki was so accepting. "Why did you come here?" Shizuru asked, studying the younger girl's face.

"I don't really know." Natsuki replied truthfully. "I like it here."

Shizuru smiled, knowing exactly what the navy haired girl meant. "So do I." She nodded. _It reminds me of you._

The two girls stared at the pond in silence. There wasn't any need to speak.

After a moment a thought occurred to Natsuki. "Shizuru?" She asked.

"Yes Natsuki?" Shizuru replied, turning back to look at her.

"Please don't make me attack you tommorow. I'm sore enough as it is and it's really not good for my ego." Natsuki grinned.

Shizuru laughed. "As you wish."

Natsuki nodded, quite pleased with how that had turned out.

"Tomorrow _I'll_ attack _you."_ Shizuru grinned, making Natsuki whirl around in panic. Shizuru laughed, falling back onto the soft grass.

"That's not even funny." Natsuki grinned.

"Of course not." Shizuru nodded, smiling. "I'm serious Natsuki, you need to learn how to defend yourself."

"W..what?" Natsuki asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I'll begin slowly." Shizuru laughed.

Natsuki groaned, though she couldn't help but laugh.

"And then when you get good at that we can move onto sparing." Shizuru smiled.

"You know there is no good compared to you, right?" Natsuki asked making Shizuru laugh.

"Ara, I'm flattered." She blushed faintly.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki asked, her voice taking on a more serious tone.

"Yes?" Shizuru asked, her voice doing the same.

"Why do you hate using your power so much?" Natsuki asked, watching as Shizuru turned away quickly.

"I wish you wouldn't ask that." Shizuru smiled softly, her stomach clenching nervously.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Natsuki said quickly, sorry that she'd made Shizuru so uncomfortable.

"What would you do with my power?" Shizuru asked, turning to face the younger girl.

"If I had your power?" Natsuki asked, clarifying. Shizuru nodded, waiting patiently for a response.

"I don't know." Natsuki laughed softly. "You could almost do anything you wanted to."

Shizuru smiled. Did she really believe that?

"Well, not legally." Natsuki admitted. "But you could get out of trouble using it, you could have anything you wanted..." Natsuki glanced nervously down at Shizuru. "...anyone you wanted."

Shizuru laughed, trying not to sound bitter. "Do you really believe that?" She asked, looking Natsuki in the eyes.

"Well, couldn't you just tell someone that they were in love with you?" Natsuki asked, grinning.

"Would you be satisfied with that?" Shizuru asked smiling faintly. She studied Natsuki's eyes carefully as the younger girl decided.

"...No." Natsuki said quietly, thinking about it. "I wouldn't be." To know someone only loved you because you made them could never make you happy.

"No." Shizuru repeated quietly, looking away.

"But you can still make people fall for you the old fashioned way." Natsuki argued.

Shizuru smiled, shaking her head. "I wouldn't be too sure." She said quietly, studying the grass.

"Come on Shizuru." Natsuki laughed. "Half the school's obsessed with you."

"Have you ever tried to confess that you love someone when they're too scared to look you in the eyes?" Shizuru asked quietly, knowing the answer. She turned her head away, so Natsuki wouldn't see how vulnerable she felt admitting this to her.

Natsuki stopped, her smile fading quickly. She remembered the first day she'd found out about Shizuru's power. She'd accused Shizuru of trying to use her power on her when she'd gotten too close. Natsuki remembered the hurt look on Shizuru's face. Shizuru had only been trying to help her.

"I...I'm sorry." Natsuki whispered.

"It's not your fault." Shizuru replied quietly, refusing to turn and face the younger girl.

"Would you give up your power if you had a choice?" Natsuki asked softly.

"In an instant." Shizuru replied, smiling faintly. Natsuki slowly reached out, carefully holding the older girl's hand with her own. She blushed when Shizuru turned to face her. There was a faint blush on the older girl's face as well.

Shizuru glanced down at their joined hands smiling softly. Natsuki locked eyes with her, not understanding how anyone could look away.

"You should never have fallen for a baka like that." Natsuki grinned. Shizuru laughed, tracing her thumb gently down the back of Natsuki's hand.

"I always fall for the wrong person." Shizuru replied, her eyes never leaving the younger girl's.

Natsuki felt her stomach knot as she nodded. "...Me to." She said after a moment, forcing herself to look away.

After a moment Shizuru got up, gently untangling their hands.. "We should probably get back Natsuki. Our roommates are probably worried."

Natsuki laughed. "You're probably right." She stood up slowly, hesitating. "...Arigato." She said quietly. "...For telling me."

Shizuru smiled, feeling as though an enormous burden had been lifted off her entirely. "Arigato for listening." She replied, meeting Natsuki's gaze once more. Both girls blushed faintly.

"I'll see you tommorow morning." Shizuru said quickly, glancing towards the dorm.

Natsuki groaned. "I don't think I cant take getting up early again." Shizuru laughed, turning and walking in the direction of the senior dorms.

Natsuki started walking towards her dorm, blushing as glanced back over her shoulder.

Shizuru smiled faintly as she walked away, though it didn't take long for her to crash back down to reality. Natsuki was a friend. And to her that was all she'd ever be.

_I always fall for the wrong people. _Shizuru repeated to herself.

_This time I think I've fallen too hard._

_

* * *

_

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Here's chapter 12. I hope you like it!!! :D**

**Oh, lol this is really random but you guys should check out this music I stumbled onto. If you youtube 'Dreamscape 009' it's a pretty neat song. I have no clue why lol, but it reminds me of Shizuru, especially the beginning (lol, way too much fanfic writing). :D**

**Anyway, onto the story lol. Thanks for reading!!! Please review!!!**

**Extreme thanks once again goes out to everyone who has reviewed so far!!!**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Back to Normal**

The next day Natsuki got up early once again. She'd gone to bed early enough that it wasn't a problem, and Natsuki decided she actually liked being up early. Even if she couldn't sit with Shizuru she could always say hi to her.

By the time the four friends got to the cafeteria, Natsuki felt an all too familiar feeling of anxiousness. She glanced over at Shizuru's table, sighing slightly. _I guess it really was a one time thing. _Natsuki told herself. She studied the table carefully as she walked towards the buffet tables. It _was_ far away, but Natsuki could tell Shizuru wasn't sitting there yet.

Natsuki looked away quickly, almost bumping into a table when she saw Shizuru a few tables over. _ Just calm down and go talk to her. _Natsuki instructed herself. She took a deep breath, walking towards her before she could change her mind.

"Hey Shizuru." Natsuki smiled as Shizuru turned quickly around.

"Natsuki," Shizuru smiled, happily surprised. "I expected you to sleep in today."

Natsuki glared, grinning slightly. "Yeah, well, at least now I actually have a reason to get up early." She smiled, not realizing what she'd just said.

"What's that?" Shizuru asked, laughing.

"Huh?" Natsuki froze, realizing what she'd just said. _Oh God. Did I really just say that?_ "O..oh, um... the food."

"The food?" Shizuru laughed, a little confused.

"Y..yeah," Natsuki nodded emphatically. "All the good stuff gets taken if you get up late."

"A...ara," Shizuru replied, glancing down at the seemingly endless piles of food on the table next to her. "I see." She said finally, slightly amused.

Natsuki blushed. _Great excuse Natsuki. _She mentally yelled at herself. "Well," Natsuki cleared her throat. "I think I'll grab some food... then." She quickly turned to the table and started quickly dumping things onto her plate, not caring what it was.

_Someone's hungry. _Shizuru thought to herself, watching in mild shock. "Enjoy your breakfast Natsuki." She smiled.

Natsuki looked up to meet her gaze. Natsuki felt herself blushing so she quickly turned back to the table. "...Y..yeah, you too Shizuru."

Shizuru's smile widened. She was relieved things were back to normal between them.

She took one last look at Natsuki's plate. _Well... somewhat back to normal. _Shizuru thought, trying not to laugh as she walked back to her table.

* * *

"If you'll all follow me," Yohko instructed. "We'll be heading off campus today. There's a larger forest not far from here." She explained, grabbing a large bag off her desk.

Everyone got up quickly. Natsuki exchanged looks with Mai. Mai grinned excitedly and Natsuki couldn't help rolling her eyes.

"Leave everything here," Their teacher called out, glancing over her shoulder. "You're not going to need it."

"What do you think we're doing?" Mai asked as they walked.

"No clue," Natsuki shrugged. "Something... stealthy?"

Chie grinned. "Of course."

Nao smirked, picking up the pace. In a few minutes their operations teacher stopped in front of the tree line, turning around to face her class.

"Okay, here's the deal," Yohko smiled, as the rest of her class walked up. "We're going to be doing some following today."

Natsuki raised her eyebrows, looking at her friends.

"I want you to get into two groups, 13 students in each." Yohko waited patiently as everyone hurried to be in the same group as their friends.

"Now," She finished handing out earpieces and gestured to Natsuki's group. "Your group will be the stalkers."

Natsuki smirked at Nao. "No change there, huh Nao?"

Nao grinned, rolling her eyes.

"The other group will have 15 minutes to hide one of these somewhere in the forest," Yohko held up a small red ball.

Natsuki and Nao exchanged looks. _A bouncy ball?_

"The stalkers' jobs are to follow each of you," She turned to the other group. "They will attempt to watch you hide the ball somewhere in the forest but you'll attempt to loose them before they get the chance. You must remember where you've hidden the ball and show me after. That way I know you didn't just throw it somewhere your follower couldn't see. Of course, remembering where you've hid something in a forest isn't exactly easy. Be careful to remember how to get to the location. As for the stalkers," Yohko turned back to Natsuki's group. "You'll follow your assigned target at a distance. Your job is to retrieve the ball and bring it to me without being noticed. If your target is able to identify you before you bring me the ball, you've essentially lost. Targets, as soon as you see their faces radio me and let me know. If you radio in and give me the wrong name you've lost, so be sure before you do." Yohko paused glancing around at her class to make sure everyone was listening.

"If have synchronized watches for each of you," Yohko reached into her bag and started handing them out. "They'll start counting down at the same time as mine. You _must_ return to me with your task completed before the fifteen minutes are up. Failure to do so results in an immediate loss." Yohko paused when she'd finished handing out watches. "I'm going to give some final advice to each group separately before I let you go."

Yohko walked over to the other group first, gesturing them to walk with her towards the tree line. Natsuki watched from a distance as their teacher started handing each person a bright red ball.

"This is so cool." Chie grinned, taking a picture of the other group with her phone. "I wonder who we'll get to stalk."

Natsuki grinned, watching as Yohko turned and walked back to their group. When she reached their group she read out the names of who each person would be following.

Natsuki had been assigned to follow Haro, a six foot tall blond haired boy that she'd never spoken to. Natsuki casually glanced over at him. He was _huge_, not only in height. Natsuki glanced at his budging muscles, thinking to herself there was almost no way he obtained them through natural methods.

"Take extreme caution when following your target," Yohko warned. "They'll be trying to find out who's following them so stay out of sight as much as possible. They will, hopefully, also be using some of the anti-following tactics described to you yesterday. That being said, good luck to all of you."

Yohko started to walk away and then turned back, grinning. "Oh and someone in the other group asked, so I guess I'd better tell you too. Yes, this is a forest and there will be wildlife. But no, there are no bears local to this area. If, for any reason, you _do_ happen to see one, radio me immediately and keep a _very_ great distance away from it. Understood?"

Everyone nodded. Natsuki smirked, wondering who had asked.

"Okay, follow me and we can get started." Yohko walked their group over to join the first at the tree line. Natsuki was careful not to glance over in Haro's direction.

"You may begin now." Yohko told the two groups, pressing a button on her watch. Natsuki glanced down at her watch. It was now counting down.

Natsuki watched carefully as Haro started walking into the woods. He turned around before entering, and Natsuki quickly looked over at Jiro.

She waited for him to get a ten foot lead on her before daring to enter the forest. She quickly stepped behind a large tree when Haro glanced back again. _Great. _Natsuki thought sarcastically to herself. _I got assigned to someone especially paranoid. _She waited for a few seconds before crouching down and peering quickly around the other side of the tree. He was still there, looking back, though thankfully no where near where she was.

Natsuki raised her eyebrows in annoyance when he broke out into a run, glancing over his shoulder every five seconds.

Natsuki peered around her tree once more before running up to the next large tree she could find. She repeated the quick movement a few times before Haro suddenly switched directions. He made a sharp right, breaking out into a full sprint.

Natsuki smirked, careful to keep enough distance as she ran after him. He glanced back suddenly, making Natsuki panic. She quickly darted behind the next tree, holding her breath. The tree wasn't nearly as thick as she would have liked. She could hear his panting as he got closer. _Is he doubling back? _Natsuki thought to herself. She crouched down, careful not to stick her arms out to the side. She could hear his quiet footsteps now.

Natsuki peered around the base of the tree, freezing when she saw him with his back turned four feet away. She watched as he turned and walked directly beside her. Natsuki held her breath, getting up slowly and inching around to the other side of the tree. Haro turned sharply again, taking off to Natsuki's left.

Natsuki exhaled slowly. That was _way_ too close for her liking. She glanced quickly down at her watch before continuing the pursuit. There were seven minutes left.

As more time went on Haro's movement became more erratic. He started running in and out between trees, switching directions every twenty seconds. Natsuki was having a little trouble keeping track of the tree line relative to where she was. Natsuki carefully peered out from behind her latest tree, pausing when she didn't see him.

_Did I loose him? _Natsuki panicked, looking around. There was a flash of yellow as he darted out from behind a tree ten feet ahead. Natsuki pulled back quickly, hoping he wasn't as fast as she was. She heard him start running again. Natsuki sighed quietly. This was getting seriously annoying. _Can't he just hid the damn thing already? _They only had four minutes left. At this rate they both wouldn't be able to make it out of the forest in time.

She ran behind the closest tree big enough to hid her, watching carefully as Haro crouched down and buried the ball behind some leaves. He glanced around in all directions before walking off. Natsuki listened carefully to his footsteps. _Why wasn't he running? _There were three minutes left. Natsuki hesitated, knowing she had to move quickly if she wanted to get out in time. Two minutes and forty seconds.

All of a sudden Haro stepped out into sight again, glancing at the pile once more before sprinting off in the direction of the tree line. Natsuki waited another fifteen seconds before cautiously creeping over to the pile of leaves. She breathed a sigh of relief as she watched him look back over his shoulder one last time before disappearing from view.

Natsuki ran up, knowing with such little time left there was no way he'd risk coming back now. She grabbed the ball, glancing at her watch. Two minutes and ten seconds.

Natsuki ran straight ahead for ten seconds before turning in the direction she hoped the tree line was in and sprinting. She dodged the trees quickly, careful not to trip. Fifty seconds left. Natsuki pushed herself as hard as she could, breathing heavily. Where the hell was the entrance? Nine seconds left.

Natsuki finally recognized the tree line thirty feet away. Her spirits lifting, she pushed herself harder. She sprinted out of the forest, running over to the large group of students.

Yohko grinned at the navy haired girl. "That's what I call cutting it close."

Natsuki grinned, panting.

"Did you get it?" Her teacher asked. Natsuki wordlessly handed Yohko the ball, collapsing on the grass beside Mai. "Good job." Yohko laughed, walking over to Haro.

"Sorry Haro. Looks like you lost." Yohko smiled, holding up the ball.

"What?" He barked, looking from the ball to Natsuki. Natsuki locked eyes with him. He looked pretty upset. She smirked before turning back to her friends and flicking her hair.

Chie grinned. "Only you would smirk at someone _that_ huge."

Natsuki raised her eyebrows, grinning sightly. "So, how did you guys do?" She looked at Mai first.

Mai sighed. "I got caught. Chie and Nao made it out though."

Natsuki exchanged quiet smirks with Nao. Chie patted Mai's shoulder reassuringly.

After a few late comers returned, Yohko set out to go confirm hiding places. Ten minutes later the class packed up and returned to Fuuka.

* * *

"You know," Nao smirked, walking over to the cafeteria. "There's nothing like stalking to make you really, really hungry."

Natsuki smirked. "Even if you're _not_ stalking old guys with cell phones?"

"Old guys, young guys... you know there's really no difference." Nao replied, raising her eyebrows. "You just can't call the young one's pedophiles when they try to hit on you."

Mai opened the door to the cafeteria. "Wow," She laughed. "The optimism just _flows_ right of you, doesn't it?"

Natsuki and Chie grinned, walking in after them.

Shizuru watched curiously as Haruka glanced over at the door. Haruka paused, her fork half way to her mouth. "Oh, look who it is." She looked at Shizuru expectantly.

Shizuru turned around, concealing a smile when she saw Natsuki walking over to the buffet. She quickly turned back to Haruka, deciding not to reply.

"If you'll excuse me ladies," Reito smiled, getting up. "I'm going to go get some more food."

"Good idea." Shizuru smiled, grateful to have an excuse to get up. "I think I'll do the same." Shizuru glanced down at her plate, relieved to find it was almost empty. Satisfied that the evidence coincided with her story, she got up.

Shizuru picked up her plate and walked towards the table where Natsuki was.

"Good afternoon." Shizuru smiled, watching as Natsuki turned around.

"Sh...Shizuru, hi." Natsuki grinned, a little surprised Shizuru was the one who initiated the conversation.

"How were your classes?" Shizuru asked, making conversation. _Natsuki looks to be in a good mood. _Shizuru told herself, her own smile widening.

"I got to stalk someone." Natsuki grinned, turning to face her completely.

"Ara," Shizuru laughed. "I presume you retrieved the ball without being caught." She replied.

"And what makes you so sure?" Natsuki asked, laughing.

"Because you're Natsuki." Shizuru replied simply. Natsuki blushed, smiling.

Shizuru noticed her blush, and decided she probably shouldn't have said anything. "And how much time did you have left?" She asked, curious.

"Three seconds." Natsuki grinned sheepishly.

Shizuru laughed. "I imagine that was quite and entrance then."

Natsuki blushed. "Hey, at least I did it." She paused, thinking it had been a whole year since Shizuru had done the same thing. "So how did you do last year?" Natsuki asked.

"Quite similarly." Shizuru replied, smiling. "Though I suppose you did beat me out by one second."

Natsuki grinned. "You sprinted too?" She found it hard to picture somehow.

"Ara, of course not," Shizuru replied, locking eyes with Natsuki. Natsuki raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "I sprinted to the edge and walked calmly out from there." Shizuru finished, not taking her eyes off of Natsuki's.

Natsuki laughed, making Shizuru smile. _That_ seemed more like Shizuru. "I think _your_ entrance was probably more impressive then mine was." She grinned.

Shizuru laughed, her ruby eyes sparkling. "Perhaps."

Natsuki watched as Shizuru's grin faded to a soft smile. She blushed when she realized she was staring at Shizuru's lips. Quickly she averted her gaze back to Shizuru's eyes, inhaling sharply.

Shizuru met her gaze quickly. How could looking someone in the eyes feel so natural? Especially to someone with a power like hers.

And why did Natsuki almost never look away?

Shizuru glanced down at the faint smile on Natsuki's lips before quickly looking back up again. She blushed, terrified Natsuki had noticed. Quickly, Shizuru turned back to the table and dished some salad carefully onto her plate.

Natsuki noticed the sudden change in moods. She desperately hoped Shizuru hadn't seen her staring. Natsuki blushed harder, following Shizuru's example and grabbing some more food.

After a moment they both stopped, turning once again to face each other. They locked eyes once again, both of them blushing faintly.

"I'll see you last period then." Shizuru smiled quickly, praying she wasn't making Natsuki uncomfortable. Natsuki nodded, smiling quickly before walking away.

"Natsuki," Chie called out, casually walking over from the table she'd been at. "How did things go?" She grinned, glancing over at the kaichou.

Natsuki blushed. "How should I know?" She replied defensively.

Chie stared at her for a minute. "You're really bad with things like this, huh?"

"Thanks." Natsuki replied sarcastically, glaring.

Chie grinned. "Well then, I guess we'll just have to take things up a notch." With that she walked off, leaving a suddenly wide eyed Natsuki.

"Wait...what?!" Natsuki caught up with her quickly. "What the hell does that mean?" She glared, not sure she wanted to know.

"Leave it to me," Chie grinned, then paused. "Well, not really. You do have to do _some_ stuff yourself."

Natsuki was about to protest but they had already reached the table. She settled for glaring across the table for a few minutes after.

* * *

"I'm warning you Chie." Natsuki muttered subtly as they walked into their power class later that day. Chie grinned, opening the door to the change room. Chie glanced over, pleased to see Shizuru was already there.

Natsuki followed her gaze, blushing. Quickly she turned around, pulling off her skirt and putting on her shorts.

Chie waited patiently for Natsuki to put her shorts on, stepping in when Natsuki started taking off her top.

"Natsuki," Chie laughed, grabbing her arms before she could pull the shirt off the rest of the way. Natsuki glanced down at her exposed black laced bra, blushing angrily. What was Chie doing?!

"You're going to pull your bra right off if you do it like that." Chie said loudly, casually turning Natsuki around by the arms so she was facing Shizuru. Natsuki gaped at Chie, a look of utter fury and embarrassment on her face. Chie winked, grinning.

Shizuru froze, her shirt half on. _D...did I really just hear that? _She asked herself, blushing furiously. Though her mind screamed not to, she quickly turned around to where she knew Natsuki would be. She glanced down at Natsuki's exposed bra, feeling her face heat up.

Natsuki followed Chie's gaze to Shizuru. Shizuru blushed even more, meeting Natsuki's gaze. She quickly glanced between Natsuki and Chie before turning around again.

Natsuki blushed fiercely before ripping Chie's arms off of her own. "You are so dead." Natsuki whispered, glaring in a way that would any one else's skin crawl.

Chie grinned. "She looked at you." She said quietly. Natsuki blushed, glancing back to make sure Shizuru hadn't heard.

"The whole locker room looked at me!" Natsuki replied furiously.

"Yeah, but let's just say she wasn't looking at your arms." Chie winked.

"Because she wanted to make sure my bra was on properly!" Natsuki snapped in a hushed voice. "I wonder why she would think it wasn't!?"

Chie grinned before nodding solemnly. "Every girl looks at other girl's bras to make sure they're on properly."

"I'm so out of here." Natsuki glared, putting on her shirt the rest of the way before walking out.

"What wrong with her?" Mai asked, picking up on some serious anger.

Chie sighed. "Other then the fact that she's painfully oblivious?"

Mai and Nao both raised their eyebrows, having no idea what Chie was talking about.

"Never mind," Chie added at their expectant looks. "I'll meet you outside." She quickly walked out and sat beside Natsuki. Natsuki crossed her arms, attempting to ignore the charcoal haired girl.

"You really still don't believe she's attracted to you?" Chie asked quietly.

Natsuki looked around quickly, making sure no one was close enough to hear. "Chie! We're both girls." She exclaimed quickly, blushing.

"You're both incredibly hot girls who find each other incredibly hot." Chie nodded. "I don't see your point."

Natsuki's face turned serious. "Chie I'm not kidding. Shizuru only thinks of me as a friend."

"Fujino-san flirts with girls all the time." Chie replied.

"No, Shizuru doesn't!" Natsuki blushed, thinking about all of Shizuru's fan girls.

"_Yes_, she does." Chie argued. "So it's not like she'll be disgusted with you for liking her or something."

"Yes, she will be." Natsuki said quietly, looking Chie in the eyes. Chie really didn't like the serious tone in her voice. Chie met her gaze, seeing the uncertainty behind it.

Chie smiled softly, rubbing Natsuki's shoulder reassuringly. "Everything is going to be fine Natsuki. Trust me."

Aoi coughed loudly from the other side of the room. Chie blushed, taking her hand off Natsuki's shoulder and glancing over sheepishly.

_What was that about? _Chie heard Aoi's thoughts ring out inside her mind.

Chie grinned meeting her girlfriend's gaze from across the room. _I'm innocent, I swear. _Chie paused. _Natsuki thinks Shizuru's going to be disgusted with her if she ever finds out how she feels._

_What?! _Aoi asked, sounding shocked. Chie grinned sheepishly. _But Fujino-san flirts with tons of girls!_

_That's what I said! _Chie nodded. Natsuki glanced over at her friend and raised her eyebrows suspiciously.

"Are you okay Chie?" Natsuki asked a little worried. Chie stopped nodding and laughed sheepishly.

"Yeah, I'm... stretching my neck." She grinned, rubbing her neck. _Sorry, got to go Aoi. Talk to you in a minute?_

_Sure Chie. _Aoi replied, laughing quietly at the look Natsuki was giving her girlfriend.

"Look Natsuki," Chie said softly. "You could always try talking to her."

"What?!" Natsuki exclaimed. "A..are you insane?" Natsuki's stomach knotted when she imagined the look Shizuru would give her.

Chie sighed. "Well if you don't believe me try... I don't know... touching her or something."

"T..touching... her?" Natsuki stuttered, blushing furiously when she imagined what Chie meant.

"Not like that." Chie smirked. "Discretely, so it seems perfectly innocent. See how she reacts and go from there."

Natsuki glared at Chie warningly as Shizuru walked in. Natsuki blushed once again, thinking about what Chie had just instructed her to do.

Midori walked in a few minutes later. "Good afternoon students." She grinned. " I just wanted to remind you that your next Power ops session is two Fridays from tommorow, so keep working hard. Your operations teacher and I have just started planning for it.." Midori looked around at the class as if the emphasize what she'd just said. "Now that we've established that, you guys can get right to it."

Natsuki got up and met Shizuru at their usual spot. Shizuru smiled at her as she finished walking over. Natsuki couldn't help but blush.

"So," Natsuki hesitated. "Are you really sure you attacking me is a good idea?"

"Ara, you're not scared of me are you?" Shizuru grinned, though her grin soon faded to something more serious.

She looked Natsuki in the eyes, wondering if the younger girl knew how important her answer would be to her.

Natsuki looked up, meeting Shizuru's gaze. _She looks so serious. _Natsuki thought. _D..does Shizuru really think I'm scared of her? _Natsuki felt a pang of guilt as she thought back to their conversation the day before. _It must be so hard for her._

Natsuki smiled softly and took a step towards the older girl. "Baka," Natsuki laughed quietly. "I'm not scared of anything." She took another step forward, never breaking eye contact. "Especially not of you." Natsuki grinned, hoping she'd relayed as much sincerity as she felt.

Shizuru studied the look in Natsuki's eyes, smiling softly. She found herself uncharacteristically breathless, and her face flushed softly. _You are so perfect Natsuki. _Shizuru thought to herself, finding it hard to contain her emotions. Did Natsuki know how she made her feel? _No, how could she? _Shizuru reminded herself._ She wouldn't be here if she did._

Natsuki broke off their gaze when she realized how close she'd gotten. Shizuru was so close she could almost feel her breathing. Natsuki gulped, taking a step back and getting into a defensive stance.

"So, are we going to do this or what?" Natsuki grinned, making the older girl laugh.

Shizuru blushed, realizing how happy she felt. For once she decided to let it be. She was with Natsuki right now, and that was all that mattered to her.

"I'm going to start off very slowly," She explained. "Just so you get a feel for the different methods of blocking and dodging."

Natsuki nodded. Shizuru carefully shifted her weight, bringing her right leg up towards Natsuki's face slowly.

Natsuki was amazed Shizuru could keep her balance. She carefully reached up with her left arm and grabbed Shizuru's leg gently pushing it down. She tried not to blush as she did.

Shizuru blushed slightly, smiling. Why was Natsuki being so gentle?

"Good," Shizuru replied. "Remember you want to slow my leg down by going a little with the motion before pushing away, and be sure to step in towards me in case you don't stop me in time. It'll hurt less the closer you are."

Natsuki nodded, blushing at the thought of getting too close.

Shizuru repeated the movement faster. Natsuki stepped in, quickly grabbing her leg and shoving it down.

Shizuru nodded, grinning. "Full speed then?" She asked, thinking Natsuki was probably ready for it. Natsuki nodded, getting ready. She watched carefully, barely managing to bring her arm up in time to block Shizuru's next kick.

"Very good Natsuki." Shizuru smiled, making Natsuki blush more then she was already. "Now the other side." She kicked to Natsuki's right. Natsuki found it a lot easier to block with her right hand.

"What else could you have done?" Shizuru asked Natsuki.

"Ducked?" Natsuki offered.

Shizuru nodded. "If someone kicks towards your head ducking is fairly easy. I don't recommend it if they kick any lower then that."

Natsuki grinned, imagining trying to duck a kick to her midsection and instead getting kicked in the head.

"If you do choose to duck, you want to bend at the knees, not lower you head. Keep your head up at all times so you can watch for your opponent's next move. Another option is jumping back quickly, though I should warn you some people are too quick to give you the time to."

Natsuki nodded, having a feeling Shizuru was one of those people.

"Now, moving on to direct kicks..." Shizuru carefully pivoted and aimed her foot for Natsuki's stomach slowly. Natsuki grabbed her foot, unsure of what to do.

Shizuru laughed, pulling her foot back. "Usually side stepping is most effective. Direct kicks are so fast it's almost impossible to stop them straight on without breaking something."

Natsuki nodded, stepping quickly to the side as Shizuru kicked again.

"Good." Shizuru nodded. "If you fear you won't be fast enough to move in time, you can bring your arms over to shove my leg in the opposite direction as you move. That usually works fairly well."

She repeated the kick, a little quicker this time. Natsuki did as she instructed, sidestepping to the right and shoving Shizuru's leg to the left.

"Perfect." Shizuru smiled, meeting Natsuki's gaze temporarily. Natsuki blushed, getting into her stance once more.

Shizuru stepped closer, bushing. "If someone tries to knee you in the stomach..." Shizuru got even closer, making Natsuki blush. She carefully put her hands on Natsuki's shoulders and brought her knee up towards the younger girl's stomach. "You must either step back quickly enough to get out of the way..." She raised her knee again and Natsuki backed up. Shizuru nodded. "...or you can shove the attacker's leg down at the base of their leg."

Natsuki blushed as she allowed Shizuru to position her hands on her upper thigh. For a moment their eyes met, both girls blushing equally. Natsuki nodded quickly, gently shoving Shizuru's leg back down.

Shizuru blushed as Natsuki's hands ran along her leg. She cleared her throat. "Very good. Faster now." She shoved her knee up quickly. In an instant Natsuki shoved her leg down again with just enough force to stop the movement. Shizuru smiled, locking eyes with Natsuki once more.

Natsuki was suddenly very aware of how close they were. _She's just teaching you. _Natsuki told herself, her eyes quickly flickering down to Shizuru's lips and back up again. Natsuki quickly took a step back, waiting for further instructions.

Shizuru breathed out slowly, grateful Natsuki had moved back. She didn't always trust herself when Natsuki was that close.

By the end of the period Shizuru was using different combinations of slow kicks and punches on Natsuki to see how well she responded. Shizuru had to admit, Natsuki was doing extremely well for someone just starting out. Her movements were very deliberate and decisive.

"Pack it in students," Midori called out. "I'll see you all tommorow."

Natsuki stretched her arms out slowly, looking over at Shizuru.

"I must admit Natsuki," Shizuru smiled. "You're doing a lot better then I had expected."

"Hmph," Natsuki grinned. "Clearly you didn't expect much."

Shizuru locked eyes with Natsuki, a hint of a smile still on her face. "You never cease to amaze me Natsuki."

Natsuki blushed, grinning.

Shizuru turned and walked off to the locker room, Natsuki following closely behind her.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Wow, I can't believe I'm up to chapter 13 already! :D I hope you enjoy! I had a lot of fun writing this one too!!!**

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**

* * *

**Chapter 13: Weekend Plans**

"So what are you doing this weekend?" Chie asked Natsuki as they walked to their first class.

"I'm not going to karaoke with you." Natsuki replied raising her eyebrows in suspicion. Nao smirked.

"Aw, but it'll make Mai so happy," Chie grinned hopefully. "Please Natsuki. For all the help I've given you?"

Natsuki chocked. "Excuse me?" She asked, glaring angrily. "And _how_ exactly did you help me Chie?" The look in Natsuki's eyes dared Chie to continue. Chie felt all the blood quickly leave her face.

"W...with," Chie glanced over at Nao as she walked, her mind working frantically. Nao gave her a look of disbelief. "...factoring." Chie finally answered, almost sighing in relief.

Natsuki smirked, shaking her head. "Sorry, can't."

Chie gaped. She'd come up with an answer and everything. This is what she got in return?

"My parents have the weekend off and they want me to visit." Natsuki shrugged. She did miss them a little, even though she never saw them much when she was home. As one of the FANG units top ranked pairings they had to work... erratic hours sometimes. Getting the whole weekend off was pretty rare.

"Cool." Chie's eyes widened. A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Hey, do you think you could interview them for me?! I'll lend you my cellphone."

Natsuki stopped walking, turning slowly to face her friend. "Chie?"

Chie nodded anxiously.

"There's no way in hell I'm interviewing my parents." She finished, turning and continuing their walk down the hallway. Nao snickered at the look on Chie's face.

"W..what!?" Chie ran after her. "Please Natsuki! I'll owe you big time!"

"After yesterday's little... _incident_, I think you already do." Natsuki glared, turning to face the charcoal haired girl.

"Please?" Chie repeated, a hopeful look on her face.

"Chie, my parents' egos don't need any more inflation." Natsuki replied. It was bad enough when the FANG unit came out with all those television promotions. Natsuki shuddered involuntarily. The two were like cheesy FANG romance poster adults.

Nao smirked, remembering the same thing. She was a little surprised, but relieved nonetheless, that the Kuga's daughter turned out like she did.

"It must be genetic." Nao grinned, ducking Natsuki quick swipe at her head.

"Fine." Chie sighed, walking over to the door. "Good luck on the quiz then."

Natsuki almost tripped. "W...what?"

Nao smirked, walking into the class before Natsuki could close her now open mouth.

"We...there's a..." Natsuki struggled to find the words. Chie sighed, rubbing the back of her head.

"Just remember what I taught you." She smiled reassuringly and stepping into the classroom. Natsuki followed behind her after a moment, the door closing behind her loudly.

Natsuki glanced over at a girl who looked at her like she was a completely different person. Natsuki quickly flicked her hair back, glaring calmly at the girl before walking over to her desk.

Natsuki, however, was anything but calm.

* * *

"That wasn't so bad, right?" Chie asked, holding the door open so Natsuki could leave as quickly as possible.

Natsuki gave her a look as she walked out. "Oh, of course not. I only _completely_ and _utterly_ failed!"

Chie went a little pale. "But you knew it before..."

"That's the problem with school." Natsuki grumbled. "Every time you learn something they decide to teach you more."

Nao grinned, nodding in agreement.

"At least we have operations now." Chie offered. "You're good at that."

Natsuki sighed. _This probably means I'll have to do the homework now. _She walked into their operations room and plopped down at her desk, crossing her arms angrily.

Yohko watched as the navy haired student watched in. She cleared her throat, an amused smile on her face. "It's good to know were all in a good mood today." She grinned when Natsuki huffed loudly. "We'll be going back to the forest today so you can all try reversed roles. Follow me."

Natsuki grinned, deciding it would probably be a lot easier to be on the receiving end of stalking.

When they reached the forest Natsuki was handed one of the small red balls. She tossed it into the air a couple of times before pocketing it. Yohko walked their group over to the tree line.

"Once again I just want to remind you that you _have_ to remember where you've hidden your ball. Take a careful look around the area before you do. Counting your steps doesn't hurt either. Make sure your follower doesn't know where you are or, if possible, radio me with a positive ID. Understood?" Yohko asked, glancing around.

Everyone nodded. Natsuki turned to Chie and grinned back at her. She kinda liked exercises like this. _Well, compared to factoring... I think I'd even take another lesson on human reproduction._

Yohko guided the other group over, started the timer, and let Natsuki's group go.

Natsuki walked a little ways into the forest, trying her best to appear calm. Grinning, she broke out into a sprint, making a sharp right.

Natsuki knew from experience what her stalker's reaction would be. She smirked, turning left after a while. Natsuki stopped suddenly, holding her breath. She listened carefully, barely able to make out quiet footsteps behind her. She managed to stop herself from laughing when she made out faint panting noises. She wasn't running _that_ fast.

Natsuki glanced down at her watch. Thirteen minutes left. She paused for a moment, turning around. There was no one there. Well, no one in view anyway. Natsuki started jogging straight ahead, deciding a chance of tactics would probably make things easier for her. If she could catch who ever was following her it was all over.

Natsuki picked up the pace, hearing a slight echo of footsteps behind her. She stopped suddenly, whirling around. Again, no one was there. Natsuki glanced over at the nearest tree. She quickly sidestepped behind it, shuffling her feet quickly against the ground so it would sound like she was running. She faded the 'footsteps' out carefully, glancing down at her watch.

Natsuki watched, mildly amused as Jiro stepped cautiously into view. The green haired boy panted, looking around anxiously. Natsuki crossed her arms and leaned casually against the tree.

Jiro turned around to face her. Natsuki stifled a laugh when the boy did a quick double take, his eyes widening in realization.

"Hey Jiro." Natsuki smirked. "Looking for someone?"

He sighed in defeat, looking extremely embarrassed. "I guess I'm not very good at this, huh?" He asked, walking over to Natsuki. Natsuki felt a little guilty.

"N..no. You're.. pretty good at it actually." Natsuki quickly lied. Demoralization looked to be the last thing he needed. "I wasn't even sure someone was following me."

"Really?" Jiro asked, looking at Natsuki in disbelief.

Natsuki coughed quickly. "Well... I should radio in then." She pushed the red button on her ear piece.

"Hello?" She asked, waiting for a response.

"Kuga?" Yohko's voice rang through the small speaker. "Is that you?"

"Yep," Natsuki replied, pausing. "If I'm sure Jiro is stalking me do I have to I still have to hide my ball?" She asked, taking it out of her pocket and glancing down at it.

Yohko glanced down at her watch, slightly impressed. "No, you can both come back now."

"Got it." Natsuki relied, breaking the connection. She turned to Jiro. "Looks like we can go then."

Jiro nodded and started walking. Natsuki watched him for a minute in disbelief.

"Uh... Jiro?" Natsuki asked before he could get too far. He turned around quickly. "The uh... tree line is this way." Natsuki pointed beside her, wincing slightly at the look on the boy's face.

"R..right." he stuttered, quickly walking beside her. Natsuki hid a grin, walking quickly. She glanced down as she walked past a small puddle, freezing it as she walked. Jiro glanced down quickly, grinning.

"Your power's so cool." He laughed. Natsuki smirked.

"Thanks. Yours is too." She thought about the comic pinned to her wall.

"You think so?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. Natsuki tried not to roll her eyes when he stood up a little straighter.

"Sure." Natsuki nodded, wishing the entrance would appear soon.

"Thanks." The green haired boy grinned.

A minute later they both walked out of the forest. No one else was out of the forest yet. Natsuki walked over to Yohko and quickly handed her the ball.

"Good job Kuga." Yohko said, looking impressed. "26 seconds short of a new record."

Natsuki looked up at her teacher for a moment, a little surprised she had done so well. "Who set the record?" She asked, curious.

Yohko grinned. "Your partner did."

Natsuki froze, grinning to herself after a moment. She _really_ should have seen that one coming.

* * *

"Two minutes and forty-six seconds?" Mai asked, trying not to stare. Natsuki nodded, sitting down at their usual table. "How is life fair?" Mai asked, shaking her head.

"Karaoke tommorow." Chie pitched in. Mai's face lit up. Natsuki laughed, making sure to put enough mayonnaise on her sandwich before digging in.

She glanced up, nearly choking when she saw Shizuru had finally arrived. She swallowed carefully, smiling as the brown haired girl gave a small waved. Shizuru grinned before nodding to Haruka in acknowledgement.

Haruka turned around, already knowing who Shizuru had waved to.

"You two seem to get along well." The blond haired girl commented.

Shizuru calmly smiled at her room mate. "Kuga-san is a very easy person to get along with." She replied.

Haruka raised an eyebrow, remembering the fight Natsuki was in on the first day of school. "I'm sure." She said after a moment, the look on her face clearly saying otherwise.

Shizuru nodded, ignoring any double meanings. She couldn't imagine ever being upset with Natsuki for long. She casually glanced back over at the younger girl's table, suppressing a smile when she saw Natsuki glare at one of her friends.

Shizuru started eating, trying to ignore a feeling of foolish jealously. She had Natsuki to herself seventy minutes a day. Shouldn't that be enough?

Natsuki discretely glanced over at Shizuru, only allowing herself to stare for a second. _What's Shizuru thinking about? _She wondered. _Does she ever think about me?_

* * *

"Coming Natsuki?" Mai asked, holding the cafeteria door open. Natsuki glanced back over her shoulder once more before nodding. Mai tried to pick up Natsuki's emotions. She looked... distracted somehow.

"Hey Natsuki." Jiro grinned, walking past the blue haired girl. Natsuki turned and nodded to him as he walked past, her eyes shifting to Shizuru quickly. She was just packing up.

Mai grinned, quite pleased with the results. "Definitely sensed something there."

"What?" Natsuki asked, looking a little confused. She glanced back at Jiro once more.

Shizuru studied the green haired boy as he walked past. She finished picking up her books. _Natsuki's friend? _She asked herself, watching him walk over to another group of students. Shizuru casually walked closer to the door where Natsuki was standing, turning around to wait for Haruka.

"Oh come on Natsuki." Mai laughed. "I'm empathic."

"Uh... sure?" Natsuki replied, trying to get through the doorway.

Mai stood in her way. "Natsuki!" She sounded a little offended. "Why didn't you tell me you like Jiro?"

_That_ stopped Natsuki in her tracks.

Shizuru inhaled sharply, trying not to drop her books. She clutched the edges tightly, turning around slightly.

Natsuki felt her face heat up. "Are you serious Mai?" She asked, shocked. "Jiro?!"

Mai crossed her arms. "You can't lie to an empath Natsuki. I,unfortunately, experienced the angst first hand when you watched him leave."

More blood rushed to Natsuki's face. She'd been looking at Shizuru, not Jiro. She glared quickly, trying to cover it up. "Look Mai, I do _not_ like Jiro. Can we go now?" She tried to shove past Mai once more.

Shizuru watched the way Natsuki blushed, unable to look away.

"He feels the same way Natsuki," Mai laughed. "You don't have to worry."

"Look, if I liked Jiro, don't you think you would have picked up on it before?" Natsuki asked, an exasperated tone in her voice. At this rate they'd be late for science, not that she really cared.

"I don't actually use my power that much Natsuki." Mai replied, amused. "It's a little intrusive."

"Yes." Natsuki snapped. "It is."

"Just go talk to him." Mai urged.

Shizuru followed the red head's gesture to the tall green haired boy laughing with his friends. Her stomach tightened dangerously. She glanced back at Natsuki, her heart pounding painfully in her chest.

"We're going to be late." Natsuki growled, grabbing her friend and dragging her over to Chie and Nao.

Shizuru didn't hear the rest of the conversation.

She didn't want to either.

"Let's go bubuzuke." Haruka ordered, walking on ahead. Shizuru swallowed, nodding wordlessly. She released her tight grip on her books when she saw how pale her fingers looked. She quickly walked after her room mate, almost bumping into a grade nine on the way past.

Shizuru murmured a quick apology, glancing back at the green haired boy once more before leaving the cafeteria. The rush of emotions she felt startled her. Why was she taking this so seriously? Natsuki had only confirmed what she'd already known. Shizuru closed her eyes softly, taking a slow breath.

_This is the way things will always be. _If she didn't accept that now, she didn't think she ever would.

* * *

"Natsuki likes who?" Chie asked as they walked over to powers. She gave Mai a look, one which she soon passed onto to Natsuki. Natsuki raised her arms up in frustration.

"Didn't you read my note?" Mai asked, referring to one she'd thrown at Chie's head in the middle of an enthralling lesson on how to calculate net force.

Chie grinned. "Yeah, I just really, really think you've made a mistake."

Nao yawned, not particularly caring either way.

Natsuki sighed. "Please Chie, tell Mai she's insane."

"But I felt it!" Mai exclaimed.

"Then you must have misfelt." Natsuki replied quickly, wondering if misfelt was even a word or not. Well, either way... it should be in _their_ high school.

Mai sighed. "Fine... if you insist." She walked straight into the locker room. Natsuki followed quickly behind her. "But I still think you like him."

Shizuru turned around as they walked in, quickly pulling up her shorts.

"Besides," Mai continued. "He's pretty cute."

Natsuki growled threateningly.

Shizuru walked out of the change room quickly, not bothering to fold her discarded clothes. She couldn't stand to listen anymore.

Natsuki watched Shizuru leave out of the corner of her eye. She glanced down at Shizuru's unfolded clothes. Shizuru never left her clothes unfolded. _Is...is she okay? She looked upset..._

Natsuki got dressed rapidly, leaving her clothes like Shizuru had. She told her friends she'd meet them outside and walked out. She grinned over at Shizuru as she sat down. Shizuru smiled widely back at her, before watching their teacher walk in.

Natsuki didn't stop looking at the older girl. The way she smiled... it was different somehow.

When their teacher finally let them, Natsuki quickly joined Shizuru, hoping to at least take her mind off what ever was bugging her.

Shizuru took a deep breath, giving Natsuki the smile she reserved for her parents.

Natsuki smiled back, looking at her a little oddly. "Sh...Shizuru?" Natsuki asked, looking the older girl in the eyes. "Is everything okay?"

Shizuru masked her surprise. Was she really so transparent? Or was it only Natsuki who could see through anything? "A..ara. I'm fine. Arigato for asking."

Natsuki searched the older girl's dark red eyes, as if the answer lay somewhere beyond. "Okay." She replied, a little embarrassed she'd been so upfront. "Are we doing the same thing as yesterday?" Natsuki asked.

Shizuru nodded. "We'll work our way up to full sparring Natsuki. Hopefully in a week or two you'll be ready to give it a try."

Natsuki grinned in response, remembering how complimentary Shizuru had been the day before.

Shizuru laughed quietly, seeing the look of excitement on Natsuki's face. Shizuru glanced over at Jiro, her smile quickly fading.

"We should begin." She said quietly. Natsuki glanced over in the same direction, confused. She nodded, getting ready.

Shizuru started off spinning, aiming a slow kick for Natsuki's side. Natsuki pushed her leg down, spinning to avoid a punch to her shoulder. .

Natsuki stepped in to block another kick, slamming her arms down in time to stop Shizuru from kneeing her.

Shizuru nodded. "Very good."

Natsuki quickly removed her hands from Shizuru's leg, her face heating up. Shizuru stepped back, not meeting her gaze. Natsuki did the same, getting ready for the next wave.

Shizuru had picked up her speed by the end of the period. She found it incredibly hard to concentrate, but Natsuki seemed to be extremely focused. She hadn't missed a step yet.

"So any plans for the weekend?" Natsuki panted as they walked over to the locker room.

Shizuru was still so distant. Natsuki felt a little anxious seeing her like this.

Shizuru hesitated. "I'm attending a tea ceremony on Saturday." Shizuru replied, waiting to see the younger girl's reaction.

Natsuki gave Shizuru a look. "Really?" She asked, laughing. "Who's hosting it?"

Shizuru hesitated. She didn't want to lie. "The Marguerite family." Shizuru replied after a moment, hoping Natsuki wouldn't recognize the name.

Natsuki stopped in front of the locker room entrance. "What?!" She asked, looking shocked. She felt a pang of anger. "M..marguerite? As in..." She trailed off slowly, her anger changing quickly to jealously. "Why would you go?" She asked firmly, forcing Shizuru to meet her eyes. Didn't she know what Tomoe had done to her?

Shizuru bit her lip. Natsuki looked so hurt. The tea ceremony had already been arranged. Shizuru didn't want to act differently around Tomoe after her run in with Natsuki. She didn't want to think about what could happen if Tomoe blamed Natsuki for her absence.

"It was a personal invitation Natsuki." Shizuru replied, a feeling of guilt taking over rapidly. "It would have been rude to turn it down."

"Why do you always have to be so damn polite?" Natsuki snapped. The look of shock on Shizuru's face made her instantly regret it. Natsuki's expression softened. "I...I'm sorry." She said quietly, her cheeks flushing. "I just..." Natsuki stepped closer to Shizuru so her friends could walk past her. "I don't want you to go." She finally said.

Shizuru looked down at the younger girl, the pleading look in her eyes almost too much to bear.

Shizuru watched Jiro walk behind Natsuki over to the boy's locker room. She turned back to Natsuki, unaware how much their expressions matched.

"I'm sorry Natsuki," She said finally. "There's nothing I can do." Shizuru walked into the locker room behind Natsuki, leaving the navy haired girl standing alone.

Natsuki tried to push back the anger she was feeling. She walked quickly into the locker room, fumbling with her clothes as she put them on. Natsuki cursed under her breath, frustrated.

She waited for her friends before walking out, knowing they'd only ask what was wrong if she left without them.

* * *

The next day Natsuki took the car her parent's had sent to her house. It was a forty minute drive, but Natsuki didn't mind. She was glad for the change in scenery. You didn't get out much when you lived on campus _without_ a motorcycle.

Natsuki thanked the driver, walking up the steps to their house. She grinned, smiling up at it. It felt good to be back home. She rang the doorbell, waiting for a moment.

After a minute their housekeeper, a tall woman with violet hair, opened the door for her.

"Natsuki!" She exclaimed, gesturing for her to enter.

Natsuki grinned. "Hey Akimi. Are my parents around?"

The housekeeper scoffed. "You're not getting away that easily Natsuki. Tell me, how's your new school?"

Natsuki laughed. "Its...different." She said finally.

"Did you meet any cute boys?" Akimi asked, grinning mischievously.

Natsuki opened her mouth to reply, before slowly closing it again. She couldn't help but grin when she finally realized what was going on. "Hey mom." She smiled walking into the living room.

The housekeeper followed her, looking confused. "Natsuki?" She asked, giving the navy haired girl a concerned look.

"You missed a spot." Natsuki laughed, gesturing to a patch of blue hair near the side of her face.

"Really?" The woman asked, hurrying over to the nearest mirror. She sighed, shifting back into her natural form. "I always do that!" She exclaimed.

Natsuki laughed, nodding. "Well, that was an interesting welcome home." She said, raising her eyebrows. "You know, shifting to get your daughter to talk about boys is a little desperate mom."

Her mother grinned, walking over to hug her daughter. Natsuki smirked, moving to meet her halfway. Suddenly Natsuki felt a familiar rush of air hit her as strong arms embraced her.

"Hi dad." Natsuki laughed, hugging the large man back. Her dad beamed, ignoring the look Natsuki's mother was giving him.

"Do you really think that's fair Daigo?" Natsuki heard her mother ask after a moment. Natsuki's dad winced, turning around slowly. "It's always the mother who hugs her daughter first. But no, you have to just zoom in before anyone can blink." The woman's deep purple eyes left no room for argument... though seemingly only in Natsuki's opinion.

"But...Saeko, she's my daughter too..." The black haired man sighed, realizing resistance was, as always, futile. "Fine, fine... let's try this again shall we?" He asked. He winked a green eye at Natsuki before zooming out of the room.

Natsuki smirked at her mom. "Okay, that was a little harsh."

Her mom grinned, embracing the younger girl. "So, quickly Natsuki, before your father comes back. Did you meet any guys?!"

"Mom!" Natsuki glared, sitting down on the couch.

"Natsuki!" Natsuki looked up as the real housekeeper ran in. "It's so good to see you again!"

Natsuki waved, laughing. "You too Akimi."

"Natsuki?" Saeko asked quickly, once more demanding Natsuki's attention. "Any cute boys?"

Natsuki sighed, hesitating. She thought about Shizuru, her face heating up. "N..no," she said finally. "No cute boys."

Saeko sighed. "Don't worry Natsuki, I've been told they do exist."

Natsuki turned around, watching her father poke his head though the doorway. "Can I come in now?" He asked.

"Nope." Her mother answered, grinning over in his direction. He sighed, going back. "So, then whose your partner?" Her mom asked, confused.

Natsuki tried not to wince a little. "Her name is Shizuru, mom. Shizuru Fujino."

"A girl?" Her mom asked, looking a little surprised. "Oh, don't give me that look Natsuki, I just thought it would be a boy." Saeko though about it for a moment. "It's probably just because your father was my partner."

"Please don't remind me." Natsuki groaned, leaning back on the couch. If she had to hear another retelling of their illicit high school romance she didn't think she could take it.

Her mom laughed, sitting down beside her. "So then tell me, is this Shizuru any good?"

Natsuki grinned. That was a loaded question. "She's the best in the school mom."

Saeko blinked, surprised. "Impressive. How did you meet her?" She asked, even more intrigued.

Natsuki opened her mouth to answer. Then again, telling her mom she met Shizuru trying to skip their first assembly probably wasn't too smart.

"That's it. I'm coming in." Daigo announced, already sitting on Natsuki other side before her mom could open her mouth.

"What took you so long?" Saeko asked, grinning. "Don't you want to hear about our daughter's new partner? You'd think someone who can outrun bullets would find a way to make it on time."

Daigo scowled, a trait Natsuki had picked up. His face brightened when he processed what his wife had just said. "Partner? Who is he?"

Natsuki groaned even louder. "_Her _name is Shizuru Fujino."

Her dad paused for a minute. "Oh, interesting. How did you meet?"

Saeko nodded, remembering her initial question.

"Um," Natsuki paused. "...at the first assembly." It was technically true.

Her parents nodded approvingly. "And what's her power?" Her dad asked curiously.

"Mind control." Natsuki replied, watching her parents' faces carefully for a reaction.

Her parents exchanged looks. "We've heard about her then." Her mom said after a moment. "I apologize for not remembering her name."

"You have?" Natsuki asked. "How?"

"When a child is born with that much power word gets around." Her father replied, before pausing. "What's she like Natsuki?"

Natsuki shrugged, not sure what her parents were getting at. "She's just... like everyone else."

Her parents seemed to accept her answer. After a moment it was her mother who spoke.

"And you get along okay?" She asked hopefully. It was hard to imagine her daughter learning from someone with so much raw power.

"Yeah." Natsuki nodded. "I...I really like her." Natsuki tried not to think about the tea ceremony Shizuru was probably at right now.

Her mom smiled happily, though she had no way of knowing just how true that was.

"Then we're happy for you Natsuki." Her father replied, patting his daughter's shoulder reassuringly. "Be sure to give her our regards."

Natsuki smiled at her parents, grateful they were always so accepting. ...Maybe one day Shizuru could meet them.

* * *

Natsuki was driven back to Fuuka Academy Sunday night. She was still a little upset that her dad had made it a rule that you couldn't ice over the hole in mini putt. Did it say that anywhere in the rule book? _She_ didn't think so.

Natsuki grinned to herself, still a little shocked her mom had talked her into playing mini putt in the first place. That was something she _definitely_ wouldn't tell her friends when she finally got back.

By the time Natsuki had finished relaying every detail...except the mini putt... of her visit to her room mates, it was already two o'clock. Natsuki sighed as she finally got into bed. She knew getting up tommorow would be a bit of a shock.

Natsuki closed her eyes softly, opening them once more when she remembered the hurt look on Shizuru's face the last time they'd spoken. Natsuki admitted to herself she'd reacted badly. How Shizuru wanted to spend her weekend was up to her. Natsuki rolled over anxiously, the thought of falling asleep suddenly becoming wishful thinking.

She didn't know what she would do if it Shizuru was mad at her.

* * *

Shizuru had given up on sleep twenty minutes ago. She didn't know how she was going to manage getting up tommorow. She buried her head gently in her pillow, replaying the conversation she'd over heard at the end of lunch time.

An image of Jiro came to her quickly. He was tall, friendly, handsome... why wouldn't Natsuki fall for him?

It was naive of her to have allowed herself false hope.

* * *

Natsuki accidentally slept in Monday, though Mai thankfully woke her up in time to have a quick breakfast. Natsuki glanced at Shizuru's table when she walked in, but it was empty. _She's probably already gone. _Natsuki told herself, ignoring the feeling of disappointment.

Operations class was, sadly, spent indoors. Yohko spent the whole period talking about strategy and planning in various scenarios. Natsuki tried her best to pay attention, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Shizuru. Would she see her at lunch?

Her question was soon answered. When Natsuki walked into the cafeteria Shizuru had already started eating. Natsuki felt her heart start to beat faster when she walked to her table. She glanced over at Shizuru as she sat down, making sure the older girl saw her.

Shizuru looked over, their eyes meeting quickly. She couldn't help but feel relieved when Natsuki grinned back at her.

* * *

Natsuki had decided at lunch time she should apologize for her behavior. She walked into the locker room last period, with a small speech memorized. She almost went through with it too, until she realized Shizuru was currently half naked. Thinking it probably wasn't the best time, Natsuki finished changing before her friends and waited for Shizuru outside.

"Shizuru." Natsuki called out before she could sit down. Natsuki got up quickly, walking over and sitting down beside her. "H..hi." She started nervously.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru asked, smiling. What was she doing? Natsuki never sat with her... not that she was objecting. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I uh..." Natsuki swallowed carefully. "...I wanted to apologize." She said finally meeting Shizuru's eyes with her own. "...For how I acted before."

Shizuru laughed, all the things she'd been worried about fading instantly. "There's nothing to forgive Natsuki." She replied.

Natsuki blushed faintly. She'd forgotten everything she was planning to say. "Yeah, but... I'm not really sure why I was so rude. I just... the idea of you being with someone like her..." Natsuki trailed off, cursing inwardly. _Baka! What the hell are you trying to say?!_

"I don't know why it meant so much to me." Natsuki said finally, grateful no one but Shizuru was around to witness her like this. Natsuki took a deep breath, her face heating up. "I...I don't know why... _you_ mean so much to me." She said quietly, waiting for Shizuru's reaction, half shocked by what she'd just said.

Shizuru could feel herself tremble. She was shocked beyond words. _Did...did Natsuki __really just say that? _Shizuru smiled softly, never wanting this moment to end. She opened her mouth, trying to formulate a reply.

"Natsuki! Hey!"

Both girls jumped. Shizuru watched, as Jiro jogged over and sat down.

"Natsuki, check it out." Jiro grinned, handing Natsuki a piece of paper. "I drew this for you."

Natsuki glanced down, grinning back when she realized it was another comic. She watched a comic version of herself walking past a large waterfall. She laughed when the waterfall glanced over with ice. By the time the comic Natsuki had gotten across the page the water was running again. She watched, as her character disappeared on the the left side, then walked right back out from the right. It cycled around like the one he'd given her before.

"Thanks!" Natsuki grinned, placing it in her shorts pocket. "See, told you your power's cool." She laughed, making the green haired boy blush madly.

Jiro laughed. "It's a thank you gift for not letting me get lost in the forest."

Natsuki smiled. "No problem."

Shizuru watched silently, her fists clenching her shirt tightly. Why was this happening? Were her emotions really so easy to toy with?! She got up quickly, biting her lip as hard as she could without breaking the skin.

Natsuki stopped laughing, turning to face her. "What's wrong Shizuru?" She asked, horrified. The look on Shizuru's face... it was almost indescribable.

"I feel a little ill." Shizuru replied quickly. She didn't bother trying to smile. She walked numbly over to Midori, asking for permission to leave.

Midori saw the look on the younger girl's face. She instantly agreed. She'd never seen Shizuru look anything like that before.

Natsuki watched, her chest clenching so tightly it hurt to breathe. Did Shizuru leave because of what she had said? Natsuki quickly got up, trying to walk calmly over to her teacher.

"Is it okay if I go after her?" Natsuki asked, desperately hoping Midori would agree.

"She... she looked really sick."

Midori nodded, relieved. "Make sure she sees the nurse if she needs too."

Natsuki nodded, running out of the classroom quickly. She paused, glancing frantically around the empty hallway. Where did Shizuru go?

Natsuki sprinted into the forum, looking around. A few people watched her curiously, but Natsuki didn't have time to care. _Where did she go? God, think Natsuki! Where would she go!? _Natsuki ran out through the doors, looking over at the pond...

There was no one there. _Damn it! _Natsuki cursed, running back in.

Tears were already streaming down Shizuru's face by the time she got to the bathroom. She walked quickly inside, making sure no one was there. When she realized she was alone she walked over to the far wall, using it to support her weight. She quickly tried to wipe her tears away, throwing the paper towel in frustration when she realized it was useless. She closed her eyes slowly, leaning her head against the wall as new tears rolled down.

Why was this happening to her? ...Why couldn't she stop it, not matter how hard she tried to?

There was a small sound as the bathroom door opened. Shizuru quickly opened her eyes, inhaling sharply when she saw who it was. She could feel herself tremble uncontrollably, her heart racing faster then ever she thought possible.

"Sh..Shizuru?" Natsuki whispered as the bathroom door closed.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading!!! Unfortunately I won't be able to update for a while.... **

**... lol, just joking!!! Sorry, I had to, you understand... right? :D**

**Instead of shooting me could you settle for reviewing? :D**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Here's chapter 14 for you!!! :D**

**Lol, I must say I was very happy with the reviews I received last chapter. I've never been so pleased to receive so many death threats! :D Mai received her fair share as well, though somehow I don't think she appreciates them like I do, lol.**

**Thank you so much for your ongoing support! I really hope this chapter does not disappoint. I have to say it's probably the hardest one I've written so far!**

**Thanks for reading! I really, desperately hope you guys like it! :D**

* * *

**Chapter 14: Momentary Forever**

There was a small sound as the bathroom door opened. Shizuru quickly opened her eyes, inhaling sharply when she saw who it was. She could feel herself tremble uncontrollably, her heart racing faster then she ever thought possible.

"Sh..Shizuru?" Natsuki whispered as the bathroom door closed.

Shizuru froze, a look of shock on her face. Natsuki mirrored the look, taking a deep, slow breath.

Shizuru saw the way Natsuki was staring at her, feeling a sharp stab of panic. She quickly turned around, wiping the tears from her face frantically. _Na..Natsuki?_

Natsuki felt a wave of guilt hit her so hard it almost left her breathless. She walked over slowly, unable to take her eyes off the older girl. _I... I've never seen Shizuru like this before. _

"Shizuru?" Natsuki repeated, when she was a few feet away. Her voice was so quiet Natsuki wasn't even sure she had spoken.

"Please..." Shizuru stopped trying to wipe her tears as more fell uncontrollably down. She turned around slowly, looking at the ground.

She couldn't bear to see Natsuki's reaction.

"...Please, leave." Shizuru whispered finally.

She had never felt so ashamed in her life. And out of all the people who could have seen like this... why, out of them all, did it have to be Natsuki?

Natsuki hesitated, watching desperately. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find words. Did Shizuru really want her to leave? Did she have something to do with why was Shizuru was crying? She watched as the brown haired girl started to turn away again, hiding her face.

"No." Natsuki blurted out, closing the distance between them swiftly. She couldn't stand seeing Shizuru like this. There was no way she was leaving her all alone.

Shizuru felt the younger girl grab her shoulder gently, but she pushed her off. "Please Natsuki!" She cried, trying quickly to walk away.

"No!" Natsuki repeated firmly. She turned Shizuru around carefully.

Shizuru slowly looked up, knowing it would be a mistake. What would Natsuki think of her after seeing her like this? She met Natsuki's eyes, her own vision so blurred she almost couldn't see.

Natsuki looked up into the older girl's crimson eyes, startled by the raw emotion they held. Wordlessly, Natsuki pulled Shizuru close. She wrapped her arms around the older girl, refusing to let go.

Shizuru went limp in her arms, shaking as a new wave of sobs hit her. Why... why was Natsuki always so nice to her? Why was Natsuki always so different?...

...Why was the one thing she couldn't live without the one thing she could never have?

Natsuki held Shizuru carefully, resting her head on the brown haired girl's shoulder. She could feel Shizuru finally give in, burying her face against Natsuki's bare neck. Natsuki gently stoked her light brown hair, finding herself equally overcome with emotions. Time seemed to slow down as she felt the way Shizuru's tears streamed down her neck. Natsuki found herself unable to speak, through she knew somehow words really weren't needed.

Natsuki gently moved Shizuru's hair, studying the way it cascaded freely down her back. Closing her eyes, Natsuki brushed her lips softly against Shizuru's neck. She felt the older girl tremble. She could feel Shizuru's breathing quicken, the warmth against her neck almost too much to handle.

Shizuru tried desperately to stop shaking, but found herself unable. She grabbed the back of Natsuki's shirt tightly, grateful the younger girl was supporting most of her weight. She felt so weak she wasn't sure she could stand by herself. She focused on the rhythmic moving of Natsuki's chest, closing her eyes slowly.

Both girls lifted their heads when they heard footsteps outside.

"Just go, I'll catch up." A girl laughed. The footsteps got louder and the door started to open.

Natsuki turned quickly, letting go of Shizuru. She looked back, seeing the frantic look on Shizuru's face. If someone saw Shizuru like this the whole school would find out.

"Seriously," The girl exclaimed, the door partially opened. "I'll be like... two minutes max, I just have to fix my hair."

Natsuki quickly grabbed Shizuru by the arm, pushing her gently into the nearest stall. She had barely managed to close the door when the girl walked in. Natsuki locked the door silently, holding her breath as the girl walked past.

Natsuki turned to look at the older girl, shocked when she realized how close Shizuru was. Her back was pressed up against the wall to make enough room for them both.

Shizuru inhaled shakily, trying not to make a sound. Her face flushed when Natsuki turned to look at her, Natsuki's face no more then a foot away.

Natsuki glanced down at Shizuru's lips, feeling her face heat up like never before. She swallowed hard, moving her head back a little. Her eyes trailed up, watching the way Shizuru's tears traced the outline of her cheek. Natsuki slowly reached her hand up, using her thumb to gently wipe them away.

The sensation forced Shizuru to stifle a gasp. She took a deep breath as Natsuki's fingers trailed softly down her skin. Natsuki met her gaze, looking for a reaction. Should she stop? Shizuru's vision cleared slightly, as she stared down into the younger girl's green eyes. She studied the way Natsuki's eyes searched her own. Shizuru smiled softly, as if answering a question no one quite knew how to ask.

Natsuki smiled back, her eyes fluttering down to Shizuru's lips once more. Natsuki slowly traced her thumb over Shizuru's cheek, brushing just against the edge of her mouth. One again she looked up nervously, hearing Shizuru take a sharp breath.

Shizuru's eyes met Natsuki's once more. What was Natsuki doing? Shizuru could feel Natsuki trace her thumb smoothly over her bottom lip, shivering in response. She found herself unable to move, unable to even think clearly as Natsuki moved her thumb back the other way.

Natsuki quickly pulled her hand away when the bathroom door closed loudly. She hadn't even heard the girl walk past. She glanced towards the stall door, before looking back at Shizuru, her face flushing. She looked down at the older girls mouth once more, taking a deep breath. Natsuki forced her eyes away, turning and looking out though the crack in the stall door... There was no one there.

"The coast is clear." Natsuki said, clearing her throat when she realized how hoarse she sounded. Shizuru nodded, snapping herself out of the daze she'd been in. Natsuki unlocked the door, stepping outside. She closed the door quietly when Shizuru stepped out.

Shizuru quickly wiped the rest of the tears from her face. Her eyes watered dangerously, but she refused to loose control again.

"We should probably get out of here." Natsuki told Shizuru, not sure she could stop herself if they were that close again. Shizuru looked over at the mirror, startled by how desperate she looked.

"I... I can't." Shizuru shook her head. "I don't want anyone to see me like this." She spoke quietly. Natsuki saw the look of embarrassment on Shizuru's face.

"I could always pull the fire alarm." Natsuki offered. Shizuru couldn't help but laugh, making Natsuki smile.

"There are cameras in the hallway." Shizuru pointed out, a small grin creeping across her face.

"I can ice them over." Natsuki shrugged nonchalantly.

"Then they'll definitely know who it was." Shizuru smiled.

Natsuki gave her a look, before crossing her arms defiantly. "Fine then..." She said, a mischievous look in her eyes. "...We'll just have to make a run for it."

Shizuru gasped as Natsuki grabbed her arm, pulling her quickly towards the door.

"Natsuki!" Shizuru cried, laughing as Natsuki came to a stop in front of the door. "Someone will see!"

"We won't go through the forum." Natsuki scoffed, thinking Shizuru had no faith in her abilities. "We'll go through the emergency exit at the end of the hallway."

"B..but the alarm system!" Shizuru said quickly, panicking at how serious Natsuki looked.

Natsuki snorted. "You know how many times I've seen our powers teacher use it? There is no alarm." She laughed at the look Shizuru gave her. "Trust me." She said quietly, meeting Shizuru's eyes with her own. She held out her hand, a hint of a smile on her face.

Shizuru smiled softly, reaching out her hand. She intertwined their fingers slowly, suddenly not caring if they _did_ get in trouble.

Natsuki grinned, looking down at their hands. She turned around and opened the door, carefully peeking her head out. Ignoring the look the guy walking past gave her, she waited until the hallway was entirely empty.

"Ready?" Natsuki asked, looking back at the older girl.

"No." Shizuru replied truthfully. Natsuki smirked, throwing the door open the rest of the way. Shizuru laughed as Natsuki started sprinting, running beside her to prevent her arm from being ripped off.

They ran down the long hallway, stopping abruptly at the end. Natsuki glanced over at Shizuru, watching how she winced when she opened the emergency exit Natsuki quickly threw it open, laughing at Shizuru's surprise when nothing happened.

"Told you." Natsuki grinned, running through the doorway and onto the grass. Shizuru smiled, doing the same. After a minute it became clear where Natsuki was taking her. By the time the two girls finally reached the pond they were both out of breath.

Natsuki breathed a sigh of relief, collapsing onto the ground beside the water. She slowly picked herself up into a sitting position. Shizuru laughed, smoothing out her skirt and carefully sitting down.

Natsuki gasped for air, looking at the older girl like she was insane.

"What's wrong?" Shizuru asked, feeling panicked.

"You can't smooth out your skirt after we just ran for our lives! It's like... against the rules or something!" Natsuki exclaimed.

Shizuru laughed, a wave of relief flooding through her. "In that case I apologize."

Natsuki nodded her approval, smirking. The two girls looked each other, the only sound either heard was the sound of their breathing. After a moment, both smiles faded to something more serious.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki spoke softly.

Shizuru knew what she was about to ask, but she just wanted to forget everything that had happened. There was a long pause. "...Yes, Natsuki?"

"Why were you crying?" Natsuki asked quietly, a look of concern washing over her face.

Shizuru swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. She glanced over at the pond, not wanting Natsuki to be able to see her face. She faked a smile, letting out a light laugh. "It," She paused, feeling her chest tighten painfully. "...It was... something childish. It really doesn't matter." Her voice cracked a little by the end. Shizuru silently prayed Natsuki hadn't picked up on it.

"I don't believe you." Natsuki said finally, studying the way Shizuru was sitting. Clearly what ever it was it meant a lot to her. "You're not the sort of person that happens to."

Shizuru took a deep, slow breath. How could she ever tell Natsuki the truth? This was the one thing Natsuki would never understand, and Natsuki was the one person who she felt understood her most. The one person she'd ever felt an attraction to so intense she couldn't stop it...

...The one person she would give up everything she had to be with. Telling her now would end all of that.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, desperately hoping Natsuki wouldn't push her for an answer. "Please Natsuki, can we talk about something else?"

Natsuki locked eyes with Shizuru, startled by how serious Shizuru looked. Natsuki felt a pang of guilt when she studied the way Shizuru's eyes had glazed over, as if the subtlest movement would push her over the edge.

Natsuki nodded, trying to quickly come up with a topic change. She needed to find some way to get Shizuru's mind off whatever she was so upset about.

"My parents say hi." Natsuki said quickly, watching Shizuru's reaction.

"Your parents?" Shizuru asked, looking slightly confused.

"We, uh..." Natsuki felt her face heat up. "...talked about you. I went home for the weekend." She laughed sheepishly. Shizuru raised her eyebrows slightly, wondering why Natsuki looked so embarrassed.

"And what did you say?" She asked, feeling a little uneasy. What had Natsuki told her parents about her?

"Well," Natsuki laughed again. "First we had this whole discussion about why you weren't a guy."

Shizuru's mouth opened slightly. "E..excuse me?" She asked, wondering if she'd misheard.

Natsuki paused, gulping. _W..well said Natsuki! Baka! _"Wow, that uh... came out wrong." Natsuki replied, flustered. Shizuru gave her an amused look, waiting for an explanation.

"Well, my mom seems to think that just cause she and my dad were parters, who ever I partner with is like... my soul mate or something." Natsuki forced a laugh, hoping her voice wouldn't give away how nervous she felt. She waited for Shizuru's reaction, her heart pounding loudly.

Shizuru didn't turn back. She didn't want Natsuki to see the way her words had affected her. "I understand." Shizuru replied. She silently cursed the way her voice betrayed her.

Natsuki bit her lip, knowing she shouldn't say anything else. She took a deep breath, unable to stop herself. "I mean... n..not that it's wrong for two girls to be soul mates...right?" She let out a nervous laugh, desperately hoping Shizuru wouldn't contradict her.

Shizuru looked up, startled. _Did...did Natsuki really just said that? _ She felt relief overwhelming her. "O..of course not." She replied, smiling faintly.

"Y..you don't think so?" Natsuki asked, shocked. Shizuru didn't think it was wrong?

Shizuru saw the look of shock on her face. Her heart skipped a beat. The look on Natsuki's face was similar to the one she had imagined in her mind... right after she told Natsuki how she felt about her. "No," Shizuru replied softly. There was a long pause. "Do you?" Shizuru breathed, instantly regretting the words once they'd left her lips. She turned away, closing her eyes.

Natsuki couldn't help but smile. Her heart rate increased furiously. Shizuru thought it was alright for two girls to like each other. "N..no. Never." Natsuki replied, grinning. How could something that felt so right ever be wrong?

Shizuru turned around, sure her ears were cruelly deceiving her. The smile Natsuki was giving her said otherwise. Shizuru smiled back, meeting Natsuki's eyes questioningly. _Natsuki doesn't find it disgusting? _Shizuru felt like a massive weight she hadn't know she'd been carrying was lifted. Even though she knew Natsuki had feelings for Jiro, the idea that Natsuki might not be disgusted with her was... liberating, somehow.

Natsuki saw the change in Shizuru's eyes, wondering what she had said to cheer her up so dramatically. Natsuki's smile widened. She couldn't help feeling a little ecstatic. Even if she could never return them, there was a good chance Shizuru wouldn't be repulsed by her feelings.

Shizuru shifted around so she was facing Natsuki once again. "Tell me about your parents Natsuki." She said after a moment.

"I already told you," Natsuki laughed. "...They're nothing like me at all."

"Please?" Shizuru smiled. "I want to hear more about them."

"Fine," Natsuki sighed dramatically. She raised her eyebrows. "...But you should know this is only because you got me out of class."

Shizuru grinned, nodding in agreement.

"Well then, which one do you want to start with?" Natsuki asked, wondering who Shizuru would pick.

"Your mother." Shizuru replied. While Natsuki had told her they were only similar in appearance, Shizuru had a sneaking suspicion it wasn't true.

Natsuki shrugged. "Fine with me. Well, she has hair like mine. But my eyes I get from my dad. My mom has purple eyes and she's taller then me by three or four inches. Umm..." Natsuki was running out of things to say. What were you supposed to tell someone about you parents? "...personality wise she's downright manipulative. On the weekend she even talked me into playing mini putt." Natsuki snorted.

Shizuru laughed. "You?"

Natsuki nodded, a little embarrassed. "But if you tell anyone I'll deny it to their face." She warned quickly.

Shizuru smiled. "Your secret is safe with me."

Natsuki smiled back. "Anyway, my dad would never admit it, but she's definitely in charge."

Shizuru considered what Natsuki had just told her, grinning. Perhaps they weren't that different after all.

"My dad has black hair, he's tall... full of _horrible_ jokes." Natsuki shrugged once again. "Anyway, separately my parents are tolerable. But when you get them both together things just get... disturbing."

Shizuru gave Natsuki a questioning look, holding back laughter.

"Did you see the commercial FANG came out with?" Natsuki explained. "The one where my parents are fighting, and then when all the guys are knocked out my dad randomly zooms up and sweeps my mom off of her feet?"

Shizuru gave up on trying to hold back her laughter, picturing what Natsuki had just described. "A..ara."

"Exactly." Natsuki nodded, giving her a knowing look. "And then my mom says 'Really Daigo? In the middle of a fight?' And then my dad goes 'Trust me Saeko, you _are_ the fight." Natsuki imitated his deep voice, scowling in recollection.

"Honestly?" Natsuki asked, exasperated. "What does that even mean?"

Shizuru would have answered, but she couldn't stop laughing long enough to.

Natsuki glanced over at the older girl, smiling as she watched her laugh. It was so much better seeing Shizuru like this. "And you know, it would all be fine and good if it was all a show for publicity. But, nope, no such luck. They're like that _all_ of the time."

"They sound wonderful." Shizuru smiled, regaining her composure.

"You must not have been listening." Natsuki grinned, making Shizuru laugh. Once again their laugher faded to small smiles.

Natsuki slowly met Shizuru's eyes, hoping repeating her question wouldn't upset her.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki asked, wondering how she should phrase things. Shizuru studied Natsuki's face, hoping the younger girl wasn't asking what she thought. "Please would you tell me what was bothering you?" Natsuki's words were faint, but they hit Shizuru with a surprising amount of force.

Shizuru hesitated, slowly shaking her head. "...I can't." She said after a moment.

"Why not?" Natsuki pushed, her eyes pleading. Shizuru bit her bottom lip. She felt guilty, not only for feeling the way she did, but for not being able to tell Natsuki about it.

"I can't tell you that either." Shizuru replied quietly. "They are both far too similar."

"But..." Natsuki started, wanting desperately to relay her sincerity to the older girl. "...Shizuru, you can tell me anything."

The look in Natsuki's eyes made Shizuru feel weak. Just for a moment, she almost believed her.

"It's not going to change the way I feel about you." Natsuki said finally, her face flushing when she realized she may have said too much. Shizuru locked eyes with her, unsure what Natsuki meant. She studied the way Natsuki was biting her lip, the way her cheeks tinted to a light red color. What was Natsuki trying to say?

Shizuru's heart raced as she felt herself blush in a similar manner. "H..how do you feel about me?" Shizuru whispered, her breath catching. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer, but if she didn't ask now she would always be left wondering.

Natsuki's face turned a shade brighter. She opened her mouth, not knowing what to say. Her eyes drifted down to Shizuru's mouth before quickly darting back up again. Her heart was pounding so fast, Natsuki was sure it would explode. Should she tell Shizuru everything? What could she _possibly_ say to describe how she felt? She glanced down at Shizuru's lips one final time, before glancing away.

"I..I'll tell you, Shizuru..." Natsuki swallowed hard. Why was it suddenly so hard to speak? "...if you tell me why you were crying." She took a deep slow breath, meeting Shizuru's eyes vulnerably.

Shizuru was startled by the look in Natsuki's eyes. She'd never seen the younger girl look so insecure. What did Natsuki have to tell her that meant so much? Shizuru glanced down at Natsuki lips quickly, breathing in. Natsuki wasn't smiling anymore. The look of happiness on her face replaced with something far more serious. Shizuru hesitated, everything she had been so sure of was evaporating in front of her eyes.

Natsuki waited patiently for her answer, half hoping Shizuru wouldn't agree.

Shizuru considered her options. She was so sick and tired of always keeping things in. And keeping things from Natsuki was beginning to prove more and more difficult. Natsuki had changed everything for her. When Shizuru was around her everything just felt... right. ...If she admitted her feeling would things change noticeably? Or would they both continue on, pretending as if nothing had been said?

Shizuru bit back tears, refusing to let her eyes water any more. She knew Natsuki would blame herself if she began to cry once again.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki whispered, no longer able to take the suspense. Shizuru, without fully understanding what she was doing, nodded. Natsuki mirrored the movement, as if some silent pact had been made.

Shizuru tried to speak, but she couldn't find the words for what she needed to say. Hopefully Natsuki would be able fill in some of the gaps herself. Shizuru tried in vain one last time to slow her heart down. Before she could change her mind, she quickly began...

"I..." Shizuru almost cursed. Why was this so difficult? Shizuru noticed how close they were sitting, moving her head back a little so Natsuki would feel as little discomfort as possible by the time she was finished. Taking another shaky breath, she began once again. "I..I overheard your friend at lunch." Shizuru tried to moisten her suddenly dry mouth. "When she said..." Shizuru paused once more. It was so hard to say. "...that you had fallen for Jiro."

Natsuki tried to meet Shizuru's eyes, but Shizuru looked away. "But..." Natsuki started to protest.

"Please, let me finish." Shizuru pleaded. It was now or never, and if she didn't do this quickly it would soon become the latter. Natsuki nodded, unsure what Shizuru was trying to say.

"And then, when he came up to you before class... it was too much to handle." Shizuru paused. "...He was the reason why I left."

Natsuki's stomach turned, the realization sinking in. "Y..you like him?" She whispered, her own eyes dangerously threatening to water. How was Shizuru going to react when she... Natsuki watched, wordlessly as Shizuru slowly shook her head.

"No Natsuki." She said softly, seeing the shocked look on the younger girl's face. "I was upset..." Shizuru paused, knowing this was the point when everything changed. "...because I felt like he was taking you away from me."

"W..what?" Natsuki stuttered, unable to comprehend anything Shizuru had just said.

"Because I care for you... a _great_ deal more then I'm supposed to." She finished quietly, a mixture of relief and terror hitting her at once. There, she had finally said it.

She could only hope Natsuki would forgive her.

Natsuki stared at Shizuru in shock. For a painful moment she almost thought Shizuru was joking. The look on Shizuru's face contradicted that. _Does that mean... does she... _Natsuki tried frantically to get her thoughts in order.

_So this is what it feels like to have your heart broken. _Shizuru thought to herself, unable to look away as she watched the shock take over Natsuki's face.

Natsuki finally spoke up, processing what Shizuru had just told her. "But... I don't like Jiro." She laughed, her smile fading quickly to a look of realization. "Not like that."

"W..what?" Shizuru stuttered. What was Natsuki saying? Of course she did... right?

Natsuki smiled, a feeling nothing short of ecstasy overcoming her entirely. "It's my turn, right?" She asked, forcing Shizuru's eyes to meet her own. "...To tell you how I feel?"

Shizuru nodded, suddenly unable to breathe. Why was Natsuki smiling? It was as if she hadn't even heard a word she had said.

Natsuki lifted her hand up, momentarily fearless. She put her hand softly on Shizuru's cheek, smiling at the way Shizuru's eyes lit up with shock. "Do I have to use words?" Natsuki asked, her eyes never leaving Shizuru's.

"No." Shizuru whispered as Natsuki glanced down at her lips. Was this really happening? Natsuki smiled softly, eyes fluttering from Shizuru's lips to her eyes one final time.

Natsuki took a slow breath, leaning in. Shizuru watched, too overcome with emotions to move, as Natsuki titled her head slowly, closing her eyes. Shizuru closed her eyes softly as Natsuki's lips brushed smoothly against her own. Their blood rushed violently through their veins, the kiss inducing a sensation neither girl had even dreamt about before.

Natsuki pulled away slowly, dragging her lips against Shizuru's one last time as she did. Both girls gasped for air, foreheads touching as they inhaled shakily.

Natsuki barely had enough time to breathe in again before Shizuru hungrily pressed her lips against the younger girl's. Natsuki kissed her back, her body reflexively taking over. The feeling grew so intense it was hard to control, yet neither girl ever wanted it to end.

Natsuki felt warm tears hit her hand, causing her to pull away at last. She gasped for air, watching helplessly as Shizuru began to cry.

"S..Shizuru?" Natsuki asked, feeling panicked like never before. Had she done something wrong?

Shizuru laughed, trying to wipe her tears away. "I'm sorry Natsuki." She smiled, unable to stop the steady stream of tears. "I've just... I've never been so happy before."

Natsuki smiled breathlessly, green eyes meeting red in complete understanding. Wordlessly, Natsuki buried her head in Shizuru's neck, holding the older girl tightly. Shizuru allowed herself to completely loose control, one of the first times in her life she didn't feel the need for it. Natsuki kissed Shizuru's neck as gently as before, her arms clinging to Shizuru as tightly as Shizuru held back.

They sat like that for a few minutes, though time had seemingly lost all meaning. Shizuru pulled away gently, using her arms to get Natsuki to lie back on the grass. She did the same, resting her head on the younger girl's chest.

"Arigato." Shizuru whispered, making Natsuki smile softly. "You have given so much more then I ever though possible."

Natsuki turned her head, leaning it against Shizuru's. Her warmth was intoxicating. "Can we stay like this for a while?" Natsuki asked, using her hand to gently stroke Shizuru's hair.

Shizuru nodded, moving Natsuki's head up and down with her own from the movement. Natsuki grinned, rubbing their heads together once before allowing her eyes to close.

Shizuru smiled, placing her arm around Natsuki's waist before her eyes drifted closed.

In her opinion they could stay here forever.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading!!! Once again, I really hope it lived up to expectations.**

**Lol, I ran into a dilemma trying to get Natsuki and Shizuru into the stall together. Hence the reason why the girl was _only_ doing her hair. There would just be something wrong if Natsuki was wiping Shizuru's tears to the sound of a girl peeing in the background. :D Sorry, I felt the need to point that one out. :D**

**Oh, and I wanted to tell you guys about this amazing song I was listening to when I wrote this. It's called 'Black Roses Red' by Alanna Grace (once again you can youtube it). I don't know if you've heard it or not, but I think it completely goes with Natsuki and Shizuru this chapter.**

**Thanks once again, please let me know what you think!!! :D**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Here's chapter 15 :D. A lot of you have been asking if I'll be continuing the story after the last chapter. I've decided I will be writing 18 chapters in total, so there will be three more after this one. Otherwise, lol, this fic could go on for years.**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter. I haven't replied to most of yours yet, so unfortunately you'll have probably already read this chapter by the time I get around to it. It wasn't my fault though, lol, I swear. First I had to write a 4000 word short story, which took all of Tuesday. And then, today, (well, technically yesterday now seeing how late it is) I was forcefully dragged to Dairy Queen against my will. :D So, yeah, this chapter was a _little_ rushed. I hope its readable anyway, lol.**

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**

* * *

**Chapter 15: Interrogation**

Shizuru opened her eyes quickly, sitting up in shock. The bell rang loudly, bluntly signaling the end of the school day. Shizuru took a quick look around, everything that had happened quickly coming back to her. She glanced down at Natsuki, a smile forming on her face. _She looks so beautiful._

Natsuki tilted her head towards her, eyes somehow managing to stay closed. _Is she really still asleep? _Shizuru asked herself, grinning slightly. She glanced towards the forum doors. No one had left the school yet.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru said her name quietly, placing her arm on the younger girl's stomach. She rubbed her hand from side to side, increasing pressure slowly. "Natsuki?" She asked a little louder, looking back nervously at the doors once more.

The corner's of her mouth curving up mischievously, Shizuru slowly moved her hand lower. It slid past Natsuki's lower stomach, resting for a moment on the top of Natsuki's thigh. Tantalizingly slowly, Shizuru curved her hand underneath, tracing a path up the back of the younger girl's leg. She lifted most of her hand up, using a finger to make small circles on the back of Natsuki's lower thigh.

She laughed, watching as the navy haired girl's eyes snapped open. She stopped the movement quickly, but refused to move her hand.

"Shizuru." Natsuki smiled, blinking a few times. She didn't seem to realize what had just happened.

"Natsuki." Shizuru grinned, continuing the movement. Natsuki inhaled sharply. Still half asleep, it took Natsuki a few second to realize what was going on. She glanced down at her leg in shock, and Shizuru quickly pulled her hand away.

"Did you sleep well?" Shizuru asked innocently.

"Shizuru!" Natsuki laughed, trying to glare. She rolled over on top of the older girl, a move Shizuru had shown her how to do in one of their powers classes. _I never realized just how useful that could be. _Natsuki thought to herself, so happy it was impossible to contain it.

Shizuru laughed, deep red eyes sparkling. Natsuki grinned, brushing Shizuru's hair gently away from her face.

"But, Natsuki," Shizuru smiled back. "I'm _allowed_ to do that sort of thing now."

"Who says?" Natsuki asked, raising her eyebrows. She watched as Shizuru's smile faded a little, a look of uncertainty in her eyes. It was so faint Natsuki almost didn't see it at all.

Shizuru stared up at Natsuki. _Did I go to far_?

Natsuki stopped laughing as her expression turned more serious. She smiled faintly, bending her head down a little.

"You're only allowed if I'm allowed to do this." Natsuki replied, moving her face down to Shizuru's. Shizuru smiled, closing her eyes and tilting her head up.

Natsuki and Shizuru froze when they heard a loud voice. Natsuki quickly looked up, watching as students piled out of the building.

"I'm not even kidding!" The closest boy laughed. His friend grinned, shaking his head.

Natsuki quickly rolled off of Shizuru, her face flushing. Shizuru blushed just as much, quickly sitting up. They stared at each other, now about three feet away. Natsuki turned to glare at the two boys as they walked past a few seconds later. They glanced over at Natsuki, only just then realizing someone was there. Even from ten feet away Natsuki's glare took effect.

The first boy began walking quicker, urging his friend to do the same. Their voices faded out the further they got.

Natsuki turned back to Shizuru, meeting her eyes. They looked at each other for a moment, stunned expression on their faces. Natsuki was the first one to cave, unable to stop herself from bursting out into a fit of laughter. Shizuru fell back on the grass, doing the same. It felt so good to just laugh. To completely not worry about what anyone thought.

Natsuki glanced over at the forum doors, sighing as she watched the entire school evacuate. "I guess we should probably get going." She said after a moment. Shizuru nodded.

"What are we going to tell people?" Natsuki asked. She laughed. "Our powers teacher thinks you're throwing up right now."

Shizuru smiled. "Just," She paused, thinking. "...Tell people I made a miraculous recovery."

"Miraculous?" Natsuki grinned. Shizuru nodded, unable to find a more suitable word. "Hey, Shizuru?" Natsuki asked, propping her head up on her arm.

"Yes?" Shizuru replied, turning her body to face the younger girl.

"When did you know that," Natsuki felt her face heat up. It was still so hard to believe. "...you know...that you liked me?"

Shizuru smiled, at the faint blush on Natsuki's checks. "Ara, that's a complicated question." She thought about it for a moment. "...I always thought you were extraordinarily beautiful."

Natsuki's blush intensified. Shizuru laughed at her reaction.

"But I think... the moment I _truly_ knew..." Shizuru's words trailed off as she smiled softly to herself. "Do you remember when we danced?" She asked.

Natsuki nodded, smiling when she remembered how embarrassed she'd been.

"I think it was then." Shizuru said softly.

Natsuki raised her eyebrows. "You've known since then?" She asked, shocked.

Shizuru laughed, nodding. "You were just so different from everyone else."

Natsuki crossed her arms, smiling. "You really should have told me."

Shizuru grinned. "Naturally. Seeing how forthcoming _you've_ been about it."

"What!?" Natsuki exclaimed. "I think I was pretty forthcoming!"

"Yes, but _I_ was the one who had to go first." Shizuru pointed out.

"Because I figured you wouldn't talk to me long enough to tell me why you were crying after I confessed!" Natsuki laughed.

Shizuru smiled. "I think this is perhaps the most truthful conversation we've ever had."

Natsuki smirked. "Probably."

"Well then, it's your turn don't you think?" Shizuru asked, watching the way Natsuki's face flushed with an odd sense of pride. "Please, I _did_ go first... for the second time I might add." She finished.

Natsuki faked a glare. "You are so mean."

Shizuru laughed.

"It's really embarrassing." Natsuki sighed, thinking back.

"I should hope so." Shizuru grinned, suddenly incredibly curious.

Natsuki groaned, knowing she didn't really have a choice. She took a deep breath. "My room mate Chie," She paused, face turning a color Shizuru hadn't seen before. "... accused me of staring at you..." Natsuki cleared her throat. "...in the locker room." Natsuki blurted the last bit out, looking away so she wouldn't have to see Shizuru's reaction.

Shizuru froze, processing what she'd just said. "Natsuki?" She laughed, going faintly red herself. "Were you?"

"I swear it was only because," Natsuki's face one again gave a whole new meaning to the word red. "...because... I had to see if I was..." Natsuki tried quickly to search for another word. What the hell was another word for aroused? "Um... e..excited." She stuttered.

Shizuru was almost sure her nose had started to bleed. "E..excuse me?" She asked, checking for blood. Surely Natsuki didn't mean _that _kind of excitement.

"But _that_ was only because of the pond thing!" Natsuki defended herself. She paused, realizing she had already given away way too much information. _B..baka!_

"The... pond?" Shizuru asked curiously, glancing over at the pond beside them.

"This is so not fair." Natsuki said in realization. "You don't even have anything else to confess to!"

"The pond?" Shizuru repeated. She gave Natsuki an expectant smile. Natsuki looked up nervously as a group of people walked past.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else." Natsuki said. She felt nervous talking about this so out in the open.

"As you wish Natsuki." Shizuru laughed. "But you'll still have to tell me."

Natsuki rolled her eyes, grinning. "Well then, where to?"

Shizuru thought about it for a moment. Where else could they go? Their room mates would have arrived by now. There were too many students walking around outside.

"How about up there?" Natsuki asked, gesturing to school.

"Don't you think the school would be worse? There are still after school clubs and activities." Shizuru replied.

"Not _in_ there." Natsuki said quickly. Shizuru followed Natsuki's gaze to the roof of the school. "Come on." Natsuki laughed, walking towards the school. "You know where the stairs are, right?"

"A..ara," Shizuru got up and quickly walked after her. "Natsuki, I really don't think this is the best idea."

"No one will see us." Natsuki smiled, opening the door to the school. Shizuru sighed, stepping in after her. Natsuki found the stairs leading to the roof all on her own. She tried the door, only to find it locked.

"Do you have a piece of paper or something?" Natsuki asked, trying to find something to use to pour water into the lock.

"As student council president you know I can't condone this." Shizuru replied. Natsuki gave her a look. "Here, let me." Shizuru sighed, taking lock picks out of her jacket pocket.

Natsuki laughed, watching wordlessly as Shizuru opened the door within half a minute. "You just carry lock picks around where ever you go?" Natsuki asked, once again impressed.

"Of course." Shizuru smiled, stepping out onto the roof. Natsuki followed quickly behind her, closing the door quickly. There was a soft click.

Natsuki and Shizuru looked at each other, turning around slowly to look at the door. They breathed a sigh of relief when the realized the lock was also accessible from the side they were on. Getting locked on the roof wasn't the brightest thing to do.

Natsuki smirked, walking along the rough floor. She picked a spot, sitting down. Shizuru sat down carefully beside her.

"You can see so much from here." Natsuki grinned, glancing over at the forest in the distance. "We should come here more often."

"Are you trying to get me to forget the fact you were about to tell me something?" Shizuru grinned. Natsuki's face flushed slightly. She had been hoping Shizuru wouldn't notice.

"The pond thing?" Natsuki sighed.

"The pond thing." Shizuru confirmed, leaning back on her hands. She smiled at Natsuki, waiting patiently.

Natsuki raised her eyebrows. "Fine," She replied in resignation. "You remember when we went... skating I guess," Natsuki laughed sheepishly. Shizuru nodded, smiling in recollection. "...and then the ice broke and we fell in?" She asked.

"Yes." Shizuru replied, not sure what Natsuki was getting at.

"Well," Natsuki hesitated. "...the ice didn't break because it was too thin."

Shizuru gave her an intrigued look, still not understanding.

"You know how when you're... _distracted_, your powers can mess up?" Natsuki asked, blushing more fiercely.

"Ara, I do." Shizuru laughed, suddenly understanding what Natsuki was talking about. "And of course by _distracted_ you mean..." She trailed off, giving Natsuki a look that made her heart skip a beat.

"Y..yeah." Natsuki nodded.

"...Excited?" Shizuru continued, locking eyes with Natsuki. She was having way too much fun with this. Natsuki gulped. Shizuru held her gaze as long as she could before laughing. "It's quite alright Natsuki. I'm sure if I was using my power a similar problem would have resulted." She grinned. "Although perhaps nothing quite as dramatic."

Natsuki laughed. "Probably not."

"We really should do that again sometime." Shizuru said, meeting Natsuki's eyes.

"But... we can't." Natsuki argued. "We'll fall in Shizuru. Especially now that... you know."

Shizuru grinned. "Ara Natsuki, do I really get you that... _distracted_?" She asked, watching as the color quickly returned to Natsuki's cheeks. Taking that as a yes, she turned Natsuki's head towards hers. "Well then, I suppose we'll just have to condition you." Smiling, Shizuru tilted her head slightly, kissing Natsuki gently.

Natsuki pulled Shizuru closer towards her, deepening the kiss. After a long moment both girls pulled back, breathless. The sensation left both girls feeling slightly dazed. Wordlessly, Natsuki reached for Shizuru's hand and got up.

Shizuru allowed Natsuki to pull her up, not breaking eye contact. Natsuki kissed her once more, her hands sliding around Shizuru's waist. Shizuru wrapped her arms around Natsuki's neck, using them to pull her closer.

After a moment, Natsuki pulled softly away. "We really should go Shizuru. Our room mates are probably worrying about us."

Shizuru nodded, sighing. "You're probably right." She replied, though she couldn't stop herself from feeling a little disappointed. An image of Haruka pacing angrily around her room came to mind.

"See you at breakfast?" Natsuki asked, leading Shizuru over to the door.

Shizuru smiled. "If you don't sleep in."

Natsuki grinned. "Why do you think I started getting up early?"

Shizuru took out her lock picks, laughing. A few minutes later they headed off in opposite directions. Natsuki glanced back over her shoulder, smiling at Shizuru from a few meters away. Turning back again, Natsuki quickly made her way back to her dorm.

Natsuki walked down the hallway, hoping her room mates wouldn't attack her the moment she walked in. Cautiously, Natsuki unlocked the door mentally preparing herself.

"Natsuki?!" Mai exclaimed, walking over to her. "Where have you been?"

Chie looked up, her cellphone in her hand a split second later. Natsuki stepped into the room, making Chie teleport it right back with a well timed glare. Chie scowled before breaking into a full out grin.

"I was with Shizuru." Natsuki told Mai, walking over to her bed as if there was nothing left to say.

"Is Fujino-san okay?" Mai asked, concerned. "When she left, I'll admit it was a little startling. I was even trying to scan anyone but she was definitely upset."

Natsuki felt a pang of guilt. She nodded. "She's fine now."

Chie raised her eyebrows, as if somehow sensing the significance of what Natsuki had said. Natsuki sat down on her bed. "Thanks for bringing my stuff back guys." She smiled at her room mates, grabbing her bag.

Mai nodded, walking over to Natsuki's bed and sitting down. "So, are you going to tell us why you're so ecstatic?" She asked.

Natsuki crossed her arms. "Mai? Could you _please_ try to stay out of my emotions?" She asked, giving Mai a look. The last time Mai read her everything had spun way out of control. Natsuki honestly didn't know if she should be upset or grateful Mai had made such a massive mistake.

"But you're so happy." Mai laughed. "Why waste it?"

Natsuki decided anger _may_ be best after all. "And what are my emotions telling you now?" She asked. Mai paled a little.

"On second thought, I'm going to go sit over there." Mai quickly replied, backing away. She walked over to her bed and sat down on the edge.

Nao yawned, walking out from the bathroom. She stopped when she saw Natsuki sitting down. "Huh," she paused. "I was beginning to think you were never coming back."

"Don't get your hopes up." Natsuki grinned. Nao smirked walking over to her corner.

The rest of the night was spent avoiding Chie at all costs. Natsuki knew she was safe as long as she was in the room with either Mai or Nao. Chie, of course, had picked up on her tactics half way through the evening, and settled for shooting questioning glances her way.

The next morning Natsuki was up even before Mai. She woke up her room mates, laughing when she saw the stunned look on Mai's face. Half an hour later Natsuki decided she was perfectly okay with someone _else_ going through the trouble of waking everyone up. Nao, half asleep, had even pulled her claws on her. After a brief apology, one which Natsuki wasn't actually able to hear due to Nao's snickering, the four girls walked to the cafeteria.

Shizuru looked up when Natsuki walked in, as if almost sensing her presence. Natsuki smiled from across the room, walking casually over to the food tables. Shizuru quickly excused herself, doing the same.

Natsuki grinned when she saw Shizuru walking up out of the corner of her eye. She turned, spooning some eggs onto her plate like she hadn't noticed.

Shizuru laughed. "Do you expect me to believe you didn't see me coming?"

Natsuki smiled, turning to face her. "It was worth a try."

"Good morning Natsuki." Shizuru said softly, locking eyes with the younger girl.

"Morning Shizuru." Natsuki replied, stepping a little closer. There was a long pause.

Shizuru glanced down at Natsuki's lips, feeling slightly frustrated she had to keep a distance.

Natsuki noticed the way Shizuru's eyes drifted down, her eyes doing the same. They didn't move for a few seconds. Natsuki was the first one to look away, seeing Chie watching them from the next table over. Quickly, she grabbed a hash brown offering it to Shizuru first.

Shizuru gulped, staring down at Natsuki's hand. "Natsuki," Shizuru took a deep breath. "There's something I have to tell you."

Natsuki pulled her hand back, sensing how serious Shizuru's voice sounded. "What is it?" She asked quickly, her smile fading. She studied Shizuru's eyes, not liking the way she wouldn't meet her gaze.

"I absolutely _detest_ those wretched things." Shizuru replied, staring down in horror.

Natsuki blinked for a moment. What was Shizuru talking about? Natsuki followed her stare to the hash brown in her hand. "H..hash browns?" Natsuki asked, relief flooding through her.

Shizuru nodded solemnly. "I hope someday you can forgive me." The corners of her mouth twitched as she tried to conceal her smile.

Natsuki burst out laughing, putting the hash brown on her own plate. "But, Shizuru," Natsuki grinned. "You've taken them from me every time I've offered."

Shizuru laughed. "I didn't want to offend you Natsuki."

Natsuki raised her eyebrows, amused.

"And I figured if it came from you it would at least be bearable." Shizuru continued.

"You were wrong?" Natsuki asked.

Shizuru nodded. "So it would seem."

Natsuki laughed. Shizuru carefully dished some more salad onto her plate and the two started walking back to their tables.

Natsuki grinned, imagining the look on Shizuru's face as she tried to eat it anyway. They said a quick goodbye, each watching the other intently as they sat down at the different tables.

Chie coughed, demanding Natsuki's attention. "Is there something you wanted to tell me Natsuki?" She asked, looking expectant.

Natsuki shook her head. "Not really Chie."

They exchanged a look. Chie went back to eating her food, more determined then ever to find out the truth.

* * *

"Today well begin our section on interrogation." Yohko walked up to the front of the classroom. "Interrogation, simply defined, is a method of retrieving information relevant to a specific cause. All of you will have you choice of field when you graduate. Whether your interrogations will take place in holding cells or on the middle of the street is completely irrelevant. To begin with, I would like all of you to partner up, facing each other at a desk."

Natsuki looked around. Chie grinned to herself. This would do nicely. Before Natsuki could move Chie grabbed her chair and sat opposite to her. Natsuki opened her mouth to protest, knowing immediately what this was about.

"Good," Yohko nodded. "I want you to take turns asking each other impersonal questions, watching carefully for what I am about to tell you. Lying, psychologically speaking, induces a feeling of discomfort and nervousness in the person telling the lie. This fear of being caught is one of the crucial aspects to accurately telling a liar apart from someone honest. All psychological reactions manifest in our body language. If you believe someone is lying watch carefully for the following," Yohko paused to emphasize the importance. "...eyes shifting quickly from one place to the next, refusal to maintain eye contact, unnaturally stiff movements, long pauses before answers, and any sort of movement to cover the face. Now, there is a good chance the suspects you will be dealing with will be trained to tell a convincing lie. Watch carefully for unnaturally prolonged eye contact, a conscious attempt at overcompensation. When interrogating it is vital to remain objective at all times. People in general have an uncanny ability to convince themselves something they want to be true, is true. The interrogator will ignore the tell tale signs, or if they want the suspect to be lying, take every small movement as a sign of guilt. Do your best to stay emotionally detached." Yohko walked over and leaned causally on her desk. "If you have a chance to study the suspect before interrogation, do so carefully. Try to establish an understanding of the way the subject moves, speaks or the way he or she stands. This is what you will use to judge the subject's behavior during the interrogation. For this demonstration, the interrogator will ask a series of five questions to begin with. The subject must answer truthfully so the interrogator can get a feel for the way they reply. When that is complete, the interrogator will then ask ten more, five of which the subject will lie about, five of which they will tell the truth. Write down your conclusions, and compare answers at the end." Yohko glanced over at the clock. "You have twenty minutes."

Natsuki watched Chie rip out two sheets of paper from her binder. Natsuki gulped, taking the piece offered to her and looking up at Chie. Chie grinned, a sinister look already showing in her eyes.

"I guess I'll interrogate first then." Chie decided, phrasing it as if it was what Natsuki wanted too.

"Remember," Natsuki warned. "She said _impersonal._"

Chie smiled. "No problem." She cleared her throat and adjusted her glasses. "First question Natsuki. Do you know why Fujino-san left class yesterday?"

Natsuki glared. "This is your version impersonal?"

"Using the generally accepted definition of impersonal, an impersonal question has no direct connection to the person being asked. Does that mean you feel you _are_, in some way, responsible for Shizuru leaving class?" Chie replied, leaning back in her chair.

Natsuki gaped. "I never said that!"

Chie ignored her. "Question two. Where did you two go?"

"We left the building." Natsuki replied, glaring harder.

"Why?" Chie asked.

"Is that your third question?" Natsuki countered, crossing her arms.

Chie grinned. "Why not?"

"Shizuru felt sick."

"I see." Chie nodded, pausing for a moment. "Question four. Did anything happen to advance you relationship?"

"That _is_ directly related to me." Natsuki replied defensively. "Question number five?"

Chie laughed. This was more fun then she'd imagined. "Question five. Did Shizuru kiss... anyone." She was careful not to refer to Natsuki herself.

Natsuki blushed furiously, knowing if she said it was personal Chie would have her answer. "No." She replied quickly, locking eyes with Chie threateningly.

Chie's grin widened. "Interesting. You seem to have maintained eye contact for an unusually long period of time. The way your fists are clenched suggests serious discomfort to me, and I've noticed you could easily be described as unnaturally stiff."

Natsuki glanced down, quickly unclenching her fists. "It's none of your business what Shizuru and I did."

"The fact that you made that distinction as a response to an impersonal question is very informative. I also might point out you haven't answered the question."

Natsuki groaned, her face flushing a deeper shade. "Chie!"

"So... you two kissed?" Chie whispered, a look of sheer excitement on her face.

The navy haired girl paused, not wanting to tell an outright lie to her friend. Sighing, Natsuki leaned in closer to Chie. "If you tell anyone you are _so_ dead Chie."

Chie gasped, clasping her hands together quickly. "I'm so happy for you!" She exclaimed! "What was it like?! Who confessed first?"

Natsuki leaned back in her chair once more. "_That_ is something you'll have to live without knowing."

The charcoal haired girl smiled, unable to contain her joy. "Okay, fine. Arigato for telling me."

Natsuki rolled her eyes. "Just, please Chie, don't tell anyone?"

Chie raised her hand up as if taking an oath. "Not a soul." She replied, grinning once more.

* * *

Natsuki walked into powers class quickly, anxious to spend the whole period with Shizuru. They hadn't gotten much time to talk at lunch. Natsuki was the first of her friends to walk into the locker room.

Shizuru heard the door open. She turned around quickly, giving Natsuki a mischievous smile as she took off her shirt.

Natsuki grinned, though she couldn't help but blush. She turned around so she was facing the wall, not wanting Shizuru to think she was a total hentai.

"You okay Natsuki?" Mai asked, noticing how red Natsuki's face had gotten.

Natsuki nodded quickly. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

Mai scanned Natsuki just to be sure, blushing herself when the emotions hit her. She suspiciously glanced around the locker room, half expecting to see Jiro somewhere nearby. Shizuru walked past, temporarily disrupting her view. Mai watched Natsuki glance up, her emotions quickly magnified to something almost too intense to handle. The red headed girl gaped, watching Natsuki look at Shizuru. Was Shizuru responsible for the way Natsuki was feeling? Mai quickly averted her gaze, inching closer to Natsuki.

"But, Natsuki, what about Jiro?" She whispered, glancing over at Shizuru as she left the room.

"Is there a problem?" Natsuki glared, hoping she was wrong about what had just happened.

Mai paled. "Nope, not at all. I just... I always thought you were s..."

"Smart?" Chie cut in quickly, walking over. She winked at Mai.

"Yeah." Mai grinned, rubbing her head sheepishly.

Natsuki groaned. At this rate the whole school would know before the end of the week.

"Look, Natsuki, I'm fine with it." Mai smiled. "I was just... surprising, I guess."

Natsuki sighed as they walked out of the room. "It's okay Mai. Just, do you think you could try to avoid broadcasting my... lack of intelligence to the whole locker room?"

Mai laughed. "No problem."

"Was I _seriously_ the only one who knew Kuga wasn't... smart?" Nao smirked, walking up behind them. "I thought it was kind of... understood."

Chie gaped. "You knew and you didn't tell me?!"

Nao shrugged. "Knowing and caring are two different things."

Natsuki glared at Nao. "How the hell did _you_ know?"

Nao smirked once more. "Are we sitting or what?"

Natsuki flopped down onto the mat. "Well _this_ is a complete disaster." She muttered to herself.

Midori walked in. "What are you waiting for?" She laughed. "Get to it."

Natsuki and Shizuru got up with the rest of the class. They exchanged a meaningful smile, walking over together.

"Shall we continue then?" Shizuru asked, holding Natsuki's gaze much longer then she should have.

Natsuki nodded, grinning. "Fine with me."

Shizuru started going through the usual methods of attack, adding in a few new ones to see how Natsuki would react. Somehow it was easier, doing this now. She was no longer afraid of getting to close. The tense atmosphere between them had disappeared entirely.

The next week and a half's powers lessons were spent in a similar manor. On Thursday Shizuru and Natsuki began actual sparring for the first time. Shizuru didn't fight using the full extent of her abilities, but she was pleasantly surprised to note Natsuki had almost no trouble keeping up. Natsuki had advanced a surprising amount in such a short time. She would have no problem actively sparring with a member of her own grade.

"You're doing extremely well." Shizuru smiled as she ducked Natsuki's next kick.

"Not compared to you." Natsuki replied, jumping out of the way as Shizuru countered.

Shizuru laughed, spinning and sweeping Natsuki off her feet with her leg. Natsuki, she was happy to note, was careful to position her fall.

"Oof." Natsuki grunted, using the fall as an excuse to rest. Sparing with Shizuru was definitely a challenge. Natsuki had no idea how Shizuru managed to be so quick on her feet. It was almost as if she knew where Natsuki would strike before even she did. Honestly, it felt like she was sparring with her dad.

"Are you alright?" Shizuru smiled, walking slowly over.

Natsuki nodded, panting. "Meet me on the roof after school?" She asked, taking Shizuru's hand and pulling herself up. It had become a common past time for them both. As far as they knew, no one ever went up there. They could be completely alone for as long as they wanted.

"Of course." Shizuru smiled, finding it a little hard to stop herself from kissing Natsuki right there.

As if on cue the bell rang loudly. Midori ran back into the classroom sheepishly laughing.

"Whoops, sorry. I lost track of time." She watched as the students started to move towards the locker room. "Wait!" She yelled quickly. "Have you really all forgotten?"

The entire class turned around, shocked by the look of sorrow on her face.

"Mentally prepare yourself students," She started off seriously. "For tommorow signifies the start of Power op number two!" She beamed at the class, then cleared her throat quickly. "Alright that is all. Now you can leave."

Natsuki and Shizuru exchanged looks with each other.

There was no mental preparation for what would take place tommorow.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: This is _definitely_ the longest chapter I've written! I got carried away, lol, I love writing action chapters. :D Anyway, I really hope you enjoy it!**

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**

* * *

**Chapter 16: No Place like Home**

"What did you think of that?" Mai asked as they walked to the cafeteria the next day. Chie walked in first, thinking back to the operations class they'd just had.

"Well, I wasn't really _expecting_ a lecture on safe driving." Chie grinned. It had been a pretty long lecture to. She wondered why their teacher had looked so worried when she was reciting it. Was she secretly afraid someone was going to hijack her car?

Natsuki nodded, exchanging a look with Nao. "Does anyone in grade ten even have a car?"

"Nope," Chie replied, the only one who new it for a fact. "I don't even think anyone can drive."

"I can drive." Natsuki scowled. "Well, kind of."

"Right." Nao smirked. "Remind me _not_ to give you a chance to prove it."

"My dad taught me," Natsuki replied defensively. "Last year."

"Didn't you know Natsuki? That's against regulations." Chie laughed, waving the sheet on safe driving they'd been handed out.

Natsuki glared half heartedly. She walked over and grabbed her usual food. Casually glancing over at Shizuru's table, she walked past.

Shizuru watched her, smiling. After a few minutes had passed, Shizuru stood, picking her tray up off of the table. "I'm afraid I have some business to attend to," she informed Haruka, ignoring the look of fury that followed. "If you'll excuse me," she finished, not waiting for an answer. She walked over to the far table and dropped off her dishes.

Natsuki watched Shizuru get up with interest. _Where is she going? _She watched as Shizuru slowly turned around to face her, their eyes meeting easily though they were so far away.

Shizuru smiled mischievously, raising her eyebrows once before slowly walking out the doors. She waited on the other side, leaning against the wall.

Natsuki blushed, understanding Shizuru's intentions. She stood up quickly, almost knocking over her juice in the process. "I...um, I have to go," she said quickly. Her face flushed when her friends looked up at her.

Nao glanced over at Shizuru's table, smirking when she saw Shizuru wasn't there. "Isn't that interesting?" She asked, making Natsuki's face heat up even more.

Natsuki glared. "I'll see you in science." She watched Nao smirk. "Not that I want to," she quickly added for her benefit. Nao grinned.

Chie winked at Natsuki as she got up to drop off her tray. Natsuki put it down carefully, quickly glancing back at her friends. She was a little embarrassed to find they were still watching her. She scowled, walking out through the same doors Shizuru had moments before.

"Ara." Shizuru smiled, getting up off the wall. "Going somewhere?"

Natsuki grinned, remembering the first time they'd met. She turned to Shizuru, meeting her eyes. "Good question," she answered, watching Shizuru smile.

Shizuru wordlessly turned, walking down the hallway. Natsuki followed at a distance, trying to ignore the looks some of the students were giving Shizuru. A grade twelve boy walked past her, saying hello.

"Good afternoon." Shizuru smiled, walking ahead. Natsuki restrained herself from forming a thick layer of ice on the ground in front of the guy as he walked past her.

Shizuru glanced around quickly, walking up the stairs when she saw it was clear. Natsuki did the same, looking over her shoulder just to make sure.

Shizuru crouched down in front of the door to the roof, opening the lock with almost no effort. Natsuki grinned, wrapping her arms around her, and pushing her out onto the roof.

Shizuru laughed, brushing her hair back when a cool breeze swept it across her face. "Are you following me, Natsuki?" She asked, turning around and pulling Natsuki closer. Natsuki grinned, meeting her eyes.

Wordlessly Natsuki tilted her head up to meet Shizuru's. Shizuru draped her arms around Natsuki's neck, meeting her lips. When Shizuru pulled away they were both flushed. Natsuki grinned sheepishly, walking over and closing the still open door. She took Shizuru's offered hand and followed her to the place where they usually sat down.

"So, are your ready for powers class today?" Shizuru asked, tracing small circles on the back of Natsuki's hand.

Natsuki smirked. "There is no ready for the insane tasks our teachers come up with."

Shizuru couldn't help but nod.

"I just hope it doesn't involve phase shifters this time." Natsuki added. "If it does, we're so _not_ participating."

Shizuru laughed. "Well, it was certainly an _interesting_ challenge to overcome." She lay down on the concrete, resting her head back on Natsuki's crossed leg. Natsuki shifted so her leg was closer to the ground for Shizuru.

"I guess." Natsuki grinned. "But were coming in _first_ this time... right?"

"Naturally." Shizuru nodded. "...If there are no phase shifters."

Natsuki laughed, nodding. "If there are no phase shifters." She agreed.

* * *

"We're not running this time." Natsuki informed her friends as they walked out of science.

Mai sighed, barely able to contain her excitement. Natsuki suspected it was probably just because she might get some alone time with Reito. Then again, the thought was too disturbing to stay with her for long. Natsuki tried to appear calm as she walked up to their classroom door. She'd never admit it, but she was a little anxious herself.

They quickly walked to the locker room and got changed. Natsuki made sure Shizuru was changing into her uniform before she did the same. When Shizuru finished, she waited patiently for Natsuki outside.

"Why did you change this time?" Natsuki asked curiously.

"I don't know." Shizuru laughed. "I decided I could always change back again if needed. I don't want to hold us up if it proves unnecessary."

"Alright." Natsuki grinned, sitting down on the mat beside her friends.

Midori walked in, holding the door open for Yohko. She beamed at the class when she saw they were already prepared.

"You want to go first this time?" Midori asked Yohko. Yohko smiled, nodding in agreement.

"Today we're going on a little field trip," she began, walking to the front. "You will all be blindfolded and driven to a new destination. Your teacher and I will return back to the academy, leaving you to figure out where you are and how to get back. You will not be willingly allowed to leave. You must find a way to return to the academy before the end of the period today. You're allowed to utilize your powers, but remember safety is crucial for all involved." Yohko took a step back as if to signify it was Midori's turn.

"You are, under no circumstances, to reveal personal information." Midori warned. "Act as if your being watched at all times, and don't trust anyone. Observation is an important aspect of this challenge. You will need all the time you have, so, please leave everything and follow me." She walked out of the room, and started down the hallway.

Natsuki waited for Shizuru, walking beside her. "Where do you think we're going?" she asked.

"I have no idea," Shizuru replied, smiling. "Though I have a feeling this will be as interesting as last time."

Together the class followed their two teachers through the back doors. Natsuki paused for a moment when she saw a large black van parked in the school's side lot.

Trying her best to ignore the cliché of being forced into a massive black van, she lined up with the rest of her classmates in front of the vehicle.

"Step right on up." Midori grinned, tying a black blindfold around Mai. When she was certain it was secure, she turned Mai around, tying her hands behind her back with rope. Natsuki smirked, watching Mai try to get into the van. It looked difficult even with Midori's help.

When it was Natsuki's turn she stepped forward, glancing at the inside of the large van. It was lined with two rows of seats, one on either side. Most of her classmates were already buckled in, though it looked a little uncomfortable due to the way their hands were positioned. Her vision was disrupted almost immediately as Midori tied the blindfold carefully around her eyes. Natsuki turned, clasping her hands together as she'd seen Mai do. When her hands were tied she was carefully helping into a seat, and buckled in. Natsuki sighed, shifting around uncomfortably.

A few minutes later everyone had been seated. "We're going to get going now," Midori informed them, laughing quietly to herself. Everyone looked so nervous. She and Yohko got into the front, and Midori started up the car.

They drove for a minute or two. The van was completely silent. Everyone jumped when they heard a cell phone ring. Natsuki smirked when she heard Midori curse, pulling the van over.

"What is it?" Midori asked, her voice sounding loud and clear to all the students in the back. There was a long pause. "What do you mean?!" She yelled angrily, slamming the car door as she stepped out. Another car door closed. Natsuki presumed Yohko had stepped out too. A minute passed before she could hear the door open once more.

Natsuki heard Midori's voice next. "Apparently someone has chosen today to schedule the FANG unit representative to look in on us. Needless to say, there's been a change of plans. Unfortunately, we'll have to go back."

Everyone groaned. Natsuki was mainly concerned with just getting this over with. Now they'd have to do it all over again.

The car started up again. Two minutes later it stopped, and the van door opened up.

Midori's voice rang out. "Okay, let's take them inside." Natsuki heard some shuffling. "No, leave the blindfolds on." Midori laughed. "What, it's amusing?"

Natsuki rolled her eyes, though she knew no one could see. She tried to take it off herself, but the way her arms were tied there was no chance.

"Come on, I'll get some people to help get everyone in." Midori spoke.

A minute later, Natsuki found herself guided into the school. She was more then a little annoyed at having to be led by a random person. There was the sound of a door opening, and Natsuki felt herself walk onto the padded floors. She was pushed over to a spot, eyes still covered. She waited for a moment. _This_ was embarrassing.

After a while she she was turned around, rough hands working to get the rope off her own. When her hands were free Natsuki ripped the blindfold, glancing around the powers classroom. Chie grinned and gave her a little wave. Natsuki scowled watching as some man she didn't recognize untied the last person.

"Thank you." Midori smiled at the man, watching from across the room. The man nodded, walking out the door. Natsuki presumed he was another teacher. "Class..." Midori turned to her right where an older man was sitting down in a chair. "This is Hayashi-san, FANG unit representative. He'll be here today to watch us train, please make him feel at home."

Natsuki regarded the man curiously. He almost never took his eyes off of Midori. Needless to say, it was a little disconcerting.

"Continue as usual." Midori turned back to the class. "I'll be calling you in the back room one by one to fill out the FANG information sheets Hayashi-san brought with him." She walked into to the back room, the door already held open with a doorstop. Natsuki watched her disappear from view, turning back to the man in the corner.

"Please, don't mind me." He smiled at the class. Natsuki got up, walking over to Shizuru.

"He's so creepy." Natsuki said as soon as Shizuru was within hearing distance.

Shizuru laughed. "You really shouldn't say such things."

Natsuki frowned. "You know it's true."

Shizuru smiled, deciding not to answer. "Shall we?" She asked, getting into her stance. Natsuki grinned, doing the same.

Natsuki started first, spinning around in near perfect form and aiming a kick at Shizuru's side. Shizuru stepping in, blocking the kick and kicking the back of Natsuki's knee.

Natsuki fell forward, catching herself barely in time, and ducking under Shizuru's punch. She grabbed Shizuru's arm, kicking towards Shizuru's stomach. In one small move Shizuru twisted away, releasing her arm and using the same one to shove Natsuki's leg to the side.

Midori came out from the back room, waving the first girl she glanced at over. Natsuki watched as Midori let the girl walk in ahead of her, waiting for the man in the corner to follow behind her. She watched the three of them disappear from view, suddenly curious. What kind of information sheet would she have to fill out?

Shizuru and Natsuki continued to spar for a few minutes. About two thirds of the period still remained. Natsuki kicked once more towards Shizuru's head, gasping when Shizuru caught her leg and used it to shove her back onto the mat.

Natsuki sighed, looking up at Shizuru from the floor. Her eyes drifted over from her to the camera in the far corner. Natsuki got up, looking back at Shizuru.

"When did they install cameras?" She asked, frowning.

"Cameras?" Shizuru asked, turning to look where Natsuki was pointing. "Ara, I'm not sure." Shizuru replied. "There have never been cameras here before."

"Why would they install them in here?" Natsuki glared at the camera. "Doesn't anyone have an appreciation for privacy?"

Shizuru laughed. The cameras made her feel a little uncomfortable as well.

"Excuse me miss." The man called out, pointing over at Shizuru. Shizuru and Natsuki turned around, startled. They hadn't heard him walk up. "I believe it's you turn."

Shizuru smiled, following him over to the back room. Natsuki sat down on the mat, knowing she would be next.

Shizuru walked in behind him, sitting down in the chair he gestured at. Shizuru glanced up at her powers teacher. Midori was standing on the other side of the desk, arms crossed. It struck her as odd that she wasn't sitting down. Was she uncomfortable with Hayashi in the room?

"I'm sorry, what was your name?" The man asked her. Shizuru paused for a moment. This man was a FANG representative and he didn't know who she was?

"Fujino, Shizuru," she replied, glancing over at her teacher. Midori didn't seem to find it strange that he didn't know her.

"And your power?" The man asked, writing something down on the paper attached to his clipboard.

Shizuru looked at him for a moment, stopping herself from showing her surprise. Even if he didn't recognize her, surely he would have recognized her name. She turned to smile at the man, buying time. She tried to remember, had there ever been a FANG representative here in the past?

"You haven't heard of me?" She asked, intrigued. Carefully, she studied his face.

"I apologize," the man replied, shaking his head. "You power?" he repeated, glancing down at his sheet of paper once more.

Shizuru glanced up at the camera in the corner of the room. What purpose would there be to have a camera in a room like this one? She locked eyes with the man, curiously.

"May I ask what the camera is for?" She turned to her teacher. "I've noticed you've installed some in the main room as well."

Midori shrugged. "Security reasons."

Shizuru nodded. There had been no event to explain the sudden increase in security. As student council president she would be informed if something like a break in had occurred.

"Shall we continue?" the man asked, looking rather impatient. He gave Shizuru a mildly annoyed look.

Shizuru hesitated, nodding. She remembered the warning Midori had given them. Under no circumstances give out personal information. It seemed a little ironic that this would occur in the same day. She glanced over at Midori once more. The woman's body language didn't match her usual stance. Her lips were pursed in a small frown, a look Shizuru had never seen her powers teacher sport. "Would you like to explain my power Sensei?" Shizuru asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I wouldn't know what to call it Fujino-san." Midori replied, locking eyes with Shizuru.

Shizuru turned back to the man. The answer Midori have gave sounded almost prepared. And since when did her teacher refer to formally? Shizuru paused, coming up with a plan. It would be quite embarrassing if her suspicions were incorrect. "I can heal people rapidly" she replied, turning to Midori and watching for a reaction. The red headed woman said nothing to contradict her. Shizuru sat back in her chair, careful to act as if nothing was wrong.

"And your ranking last year?" The man looked up.

"Seventh." Shizuru replied, meeting his eyes before glancing away. Again, there was no hint of a reaction from Midori. Either her memory had been altered in some way, or she wasn't really who she pretended to be. _A shape shifter? _Shizuru thought to herself. It was certainly possible.

"Would you describe the training process you underwent?" Hayashi crossed his right leg over his left.

"I was trained as all other students were." Shizuru replied. She didn't want to give away anything more then she needed to. She knew some of her classmates had already been interviewed, so any lie she may come up with wouldn't match their stories. "My story will be quite similar to theirs."

The man looked at her, an intrigued look playing across his face. Shizuru smiled at him quickly, not wanting to appear intentionally uncooperative.

"I suppose that's correct." The man responded. Shizuru's smile widened. "Well then, one final question for you. What do you believe you will be used for when your training is complete?"

"I will be used wherever my power is needed." Shizuru tried to be as unspecific as possible. Presumably the whole point of this exercise was to give away as little as she could.

"And by that you mean on the FANG unit?" The man continued for her. "Or would you be open to working for another organization?"

"That would depend," Shizuru replied hesitantly.

"On what?" he asked, writing something down. Shizuru noted the sudden interest in his voice.

"If I believed in what the organization stood for," she replied simply. "Is that all?" Shizuru wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. She had to find someway to tell the rest of her class what she'd discovered.

The man looked amused by her impatience. "Yes, arigato for your cooperation. Would you do me a favor and send someone else in?"

Shizuru nodded, walking out of the room. Quickly she jogged over to Natsuki.

"How did it go?" Natsuki asked, standing up.

"Natsuki, you have to go in now," Shizuru said quickly, ignoring the question.

"O..okay," Natsuki replied. She was about to walk off.

"Wait," Shizuru said quickly. "Natsuki, that isn't our teacher. I don't know how, but she somehow switched with someone or had her memory tampered with, I'm not sure either way."

Natsuki looked at Shizuru, eyebrows raised. "Um, what?"

"The power op Natsuki." Shizuru laughed. "It's still going on."

Natsuki opened her mouth to say something, glancing anxiously over at the doors. If she took too long to walk in they would probably come looking for her.

"Lie about everything," Shizuru instructed. "Your name, power and rank. Be as unspecific as possible, but remember not to say anything that could contradict with what someone who went before you said."

Natsuki closed her mouth quickly. Was Shizuru serious? She'd look like a complete Baka.

"Please, trust me?" Shizuru flushed gently when she noticed how quiet her voice sounded. It was the first time she had asked anyone that question since she'd gotten her power. She met Natsuki's eyes, looking away when she realized how exposed she might look. Natsuki had never had a problem seeing her true emotions.

Natsuki studied Shizuru's face as the conversation suddenly became even more serious. She realized Shizuru must feel extremely uncomfortable asking that of her. _Does she really think I could ever say no? _Natsuki wondered. She smiled, forcing Shizuru to meet her gaze. "Always," she replied softly. She turned, jogging quickly over to the room and walking in.

Natsuki studied the man in the corner once more. Hayashi smiled at her when she walked in, gesturing at the seat in front of the desk.

"Hi." Natsuki said after a moment, sitting down. She glanced over at Midori, as if she would suddenly understand what was going on if she looking hard enough.

"Good afternoon," Hayashi replied. "And you would be?"

"Matsumoto, Akimi," she replied, giving the name of her housekeeper. Natsuki was careful to respond quickly, making eye contact. She remembered what Yohko had told their class, careful to sit in a natural looking position.

"Power?" the man continued.

"I can... um," Natsuki paused, thinking frantically. "...talk to wolves." Natsuki blurted out the first animal that came to mind. She had always liked wolves, though it seemed to be a very particular power.

"Only... wolves?" The man looked at her, slightly confused.

"Yep." Natsuki replied quickly. "Is there something wrong with that?" she added, crossing her arms. She glanced over at her teacher. Shizuru was right. The woman hadn't said anything about the answers she'd given.

"Of course not," he quickly responded, smiling. Natsuki smirked slightly, glad that they had no way of realizing she knew what was going on. "What was your ranking last year?" He asked.

"Seven." Natsuki replied quickly.

"Seven?" the man repeated, flipping back to Shizuru's page. He glanced down, confused.

Natsuki paused, realizing she must have chosen the same number as someone who had already gone. "U..until that baka stole the spot right out from under me," she quickly improvised, glaring angrily for effect.

The man looked as if he was repressing laughter. "Eight then?"

Natsuki nodded, praying that number wasn't taken either. When the man wrote it down, Natsuki concluded it hadn't been.

"What do you believe you will be used for when your training is complete?" he asked, glancing up from his paper.

"Oh, you know. The usual stuff," Natsuki replied, thinking quickly. How had other people answered?

"You mean the FANG unit?" The man clarified.

"Yeah," she answered.

"What if another organization were to ask you for assistance? Would you help them?" The man studied her face carefully.

"If I decided they needed my help." Natsuki looked at the man curiously. Why did it seem like the whole conversation had lead up to this question?

"Arigato." The man put down his pen. "Would you send someone else in please?"

"Sure." Natsuki faked a smile before walking out. She quickly glanced around the room. _Now what do I do? _She saw Shizuru sparring with someone else. _Is that Chie? _She walked over to get a better view. ...It was. Aoi was sitting down on the mat beside them, watching them fight.

"Natsuki." Shizuru smiled, meeting her eyes questioningly. Natsuki nodded, as if to relay she'd done as Shizuru requested.

"I'm supposed to send someone else in." Natsuki said quickly, hoping Shizuru had some idea what to do.

"I'll go," Chie jumped in, wiping the sweat off her brow. "I know what to do."

Natsuki opened her mouth to object. Chie needed to be warned too.

"It's alright Natsuki." Shizuru said quietly, motioning for them to begin sparring. Natsuki gave her a confused look, ducking as Shizuru kicked towards her head.

Shizuru saw the look on Natsuki's face. Quickly she tripped her, allowing Natsuki to trip her back from her position on the ground. She aimed her fall so she would land directly beside Natsuki.

Natsuki wordlessly watched her fall, the surprise evident on her own face. She had never managed to trip Shizuru before.

"I've told Aoi what I know," Shizuru said quickly into her ear. "She's using her power to inform the class. In the meantime I think we should continue like nothing is wrong."

"What's her power?" Natsuki asked, glancing over at Aoi as she slowly got up.

"Mind whispering." Shizuru smiled.

Natsuki nodded, impressed. "Good plan." She grinned. Shizuru smiled back, and they continued with their sparring.

Shizuru trapped Natsuki in a headlock, pointing her head down so the cameras wouldn't have a clear view of her face. "Watch for the cameras, they might have lipreaders," she said quickly. "We need a way to take out the camera in the back room. Then we can go in and find out what's really going on."

Natsuki nodded, which was a little hard to do since Shizuru had her arm wrapped around her head. Shizuru blushed slightly when she realized how tightly she was holding Natsuki. She quickly released her grip, her hand tracing the outline of Natsuki's cheek as she let go.

Natsuki felt her face heat up at the close contact. She got up, unable to contain a smile as she turned around to face her partner.

"Maybe we should practice holds," Shizuru said quickly, looking for a way to talk to Natsuki without anyone seeing.

"I'm done." Aoi announced, going red when she realized how obvious she'd just been "I'm done... resting," She quickly added, getting up.

Shizuru shot Aoi a meaningful look. Aoi got the hint.

_Yes? _Aoi asked her mentally. Shizuru turned back to Natsuki.

"Actually, I think we should continue sparring," Shizuru quickly added. Natsuki nodded, not sure why Shizuru had suddenly changed her mind.

_Senoh-san? _Shizuru asked, her eyes never leaving Natsuki.

_I'm still here. _Aoi replied, sitting back down. _Do we have a plan?_

_We need some way to take out the camera without drawing suspicion, _Shizuru replied. _Any ideas?_

Aoi thought about it for a moment. Everything she could think of was too obvious. They had been trained in operations how to loop a camera signal, but that took a lot of time, not to mention access to the security system it was wired to. _I'm sorry Fujino-san. I can't think of anything, _Aoi mentally answered.

_Would you ask Natsuki for me? _Shizuru answered. She glanced over at Aoi as she ducked Natsuki's swing. Aoi gaze her a small nod.

_Kuga-san?_

_Umm... yeah? _Natsuki tried not to grin. She recognized Aoi's voice, but it felt a little weird to hear it mentally.

_Do you have an idea how to take out the camera? Something that won't draw too much attention?_

Natsuki thought about it for a moment. She supposed someone could accidentally throw something at it, but that was a little obvious. _Well, _She started, thinking quickly. _Someone could try to demonstrate their powers when asked. They could accidentally hit the camera._

Aoi smiled. _That's a good idea Kuga-san. Who would have a suitable power?_

Natsuki tried to remember what everyone's power was. She didn't think extreme hair growing or turning into a rock would do it. Being empathic was useless, and Nao's claws weren't that long. She thought back to the first time their class had a power sparring session. Suddenly, it hit her. _Kaito! _She shouted in her mind.

Aoi winced. That hurt a little. _But... he shoots slime, _she reminded Natsuki, not seeing how that was especially helpful.

_What if he demonstrated that fact by happening to shoot it at the camera? _Natsuki grinned to herself, as she jumped back to avoid Shizuru's kick.

Aoi raised her eyebrows, a smile forming on her face. _That's set then. I'll tell Shizuru._

She quickly explained Natsuki's idea. Shizuru agreed it was clever. It might drawn some unwanted attention, but theoretically it _could_ happen naturally. Aoi quickly informed Kaito of the plan. After she ensured him thoroughly that she wasn't playing a joke on him, he reluctantly agreed.

A minute later Chie walked out of the back room. Kaito glanced over at Shizuru, who wordlessly nodded back. Natsuki could see him sigh from across the room. Finally, he walked into the back room.

Aoi and Chie resumed their sparring beside Shizuru and Natsuki.

Natsuki smiled at Shizuru. The plan was underway. Natsuki glanced up at the clock. It was 2:21. She remembered Midori saying they had until the end of the period; 2:50 to sort everything out.

A few minutes passed. Natsuki and Shizuru exchanged anxious glances. They were going to run out of time if this kept this up.

Finally, the door opened. By this time, Aoi had informed the whole class. Everyone looked up, watching Kaito back out of the room.

"Sorry about that." He laughed sheepishly, turning and walking back over to his partner. He gave Aoi a small nod. The class resumed what they had been doing, everyone acting carefully not to give anything away.

Shizuru smiled reassuringly to Natsuki before walking towards the back room. She knew they would recognize her, so she would have to act fast.

"Excuse me?" she asked, walking into the room and looking around quickly. The red headed woman hadn't moved. Shizuru repressed a smile when she saw the man standing on a chair, frantically trying to scrape off the green slime.

"Yes?" the man asked impatiently, turning back to the camera.

Shizuru quickly walked up to Midori, reaching out to tilt her head. She was startled when her hand went through her. Her teacher, or the projection of her teacher, flickered for a moment. Shizuru quickly stepped back, turning back to face the man. That certainly made her job easier.

Natsuki glared at Aoi, a sudden thought occurring to her. She was now sparring with Chie as Aoi watched. Chie was certainly a lot easier to spar with then Shizuru. Natsuki was actually enjoying this a little.

_Are you trying to tell me something? _Aoi asked, startled by how mad Natsuki looked.

_The camera! _Natsuki mentally exclaimed. _The video is gone, but what about the audio!? What if who ever is listening hears Shizuru questioning them?_

Aoi turned pale_. What are we going to do?!_

"I'm going to ask to use the bathroom," Natsuki told Chie, walking off before she could say anything.

Natsuki ran over to the room, hoping Shizuru hadn't already begun.

"Did you want something?" the man asked, turning to face Shizuru once again.

Shizuru nodded, taking a deep breath. She walked over to him.

"Shizuru!" Natsuki yelled, relieved she wasn't too late. She glanced over at Midori. The red haired woman seemingly hadn't noticed anything was wrong. "Hi, I was just going to ask if I could... what are you doing?" Natsuki trailed off, walking over to the camera.

"One of your classmates needs to work on his aim," the man grumbled.

"Here." Natsuki pulled up a chair beside him. "Let me." She got up, her fist already covered with ice. She quickly slammed her fist into the slime coated device. There was a satisfying shattering sound. Natsuki turned around, smirking at the now gaping man.

"Don't go anywhere." Shizuru commanded, turning his head quickly. Natsuki glanced over at their teacher quickly, ready to tackle her if necessary. The man froze mid step, unable to move. Natsuki evaporated the now slime coated ice around her hand.

"Uh..." Natsuki gave Shizuru a confused look, glancing back at their teacher.

"He's a projector." Shizuru smiled. "She is nothing more then a talking illusion."

"Huh." Natsuki grinned, hopping off the chair and walking over to her. She waved her hand through the projection, laughing. "Cool."

Shizuru smiled, turning back to the man. "Now, tell me, what exactly is going on here?"

The man looked quite startled when he replied. "Were doing this as a favor for your teacher. She asked us to take part in one of your power ops."

"You will tell me who else is in on this." Shizuru instructed.

"There are four of us in total," he answered. "We're all members of the FANG unit."

Natsuki raised her eyebrows. "What are the other three's powers?" She asked, walking over.

The man scowled at her, obviously a little upset two high school girls had seen through their deception.

"Answer the question." Shizuru told him, an amused look on her face. She could see the man was struggling not to obey.

"Self-cloning, unusual strength and invisibility."

"Tell me where they are." Shizuru ordered.

"They're in the next room over. You can get there by walking through the boy's locker room door," he replied, realizing he couldn't resist if he tried.

"They're in the boys locker room?" Shizuru asked, smiling when she heard Natsuki burst out laughing. He didn't say anything. Shizuru sighed softly. Rephrasing everything so it was an order was a little inconvenient "Answer."

"There is no boy's locker room here," the man replied. He smirked at the shocked look on the two girl's faces.

"We're not in the school." Natsuki laughed, shocked. Everything was starting to make sense. "Shizuru, that's why they kept us blindfolded! Remember? So we wouldn't realize. They switched when the car stopped."

Shizuru raised her eyebrows. "Ara, what an intricate plan."

"And remember, she specifically said we had to return to the school," Natsuki continued. "We have to get back to Fuuka Academy before the end of the period."

Shizuru glanced quickly up at the clock. It was 2:33. They had seventeen minutes to make their escape. "Alright." She nodded quickly. "We need another plan Natsuki. How are we going to get past the other three?"

_Someone's coming! _Aoi mentally shouted. Shizuru barely managed to stop herself from jumping. She looked up quickly at Natsuki.

"Natsuki, someone's..." Shizuru stopped when the door suddenly opened. A younger man walked in, his muscles bulging evidently through his shirt.

"I just came by to see if you needed help." The man smiled, looking relieved when he saw Hayashi was fine.

Hayashi opened his mouth to speak, but Shizuru was too fast.

"Stop." She said quickly, looking into the man's eyes. Shizuru presumed this was the person with super strength. She was grateful she'd avoided a physical confrontation.

"Nice," Natsuki smiled slyly, making Shizuru flush. Natsuki walked over to her, locking eyes. Shizuru took a deep breath staring down at Natsuki's tight fitting shorts. Now _wasn't_ the time to get distracted.

Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind, her power ceasing to work. Powerful arms restrained her as she tried to get loose.

"Natsuki!" Shizuru cried, unable to use the self defense moves she'd been trained to. She tried to break free, smashing her head back into the man's. He was too strong for it to have much effect.

Natsuki gaped, watching as both men began to move. She grabbed Hayashi in a similar method to the way the second man was grabbing Shizuru.

"Nao!" Natsuki yelled, unsure what else to do. At this point, discretion was a lost cause. Natsuki heard a surprised grunt come from the other room. She rolled her eyes, pinning the older man against the wall. He was stronger then her; she could only hold him for so long. "Get in here!" She screamed as loud as she could.

Shizuru stomped down hard on the foot belonging to the man holding her back. The surprise made him loosen his hold. Shizuru pivoted, slamming her knee up into his stomach. Unfortunately, he was still extremely close to her. Instead of hitting him in the stomach, Shizuru's knee impacted another crucial part of his body.

Natsuki gasped as the man bent over in pain. Did Shizuru really just knee him in the crotch!?

Shizuru blushed furiously. Perhaps not the most graceful escape she'd ever made. Natsuki grinned, her loss of focus giving Hayashi all he needed to get away. "Shizuru!" Natsuki cried, watching the man run towards the door.

The door opened before he could get there.

"You called?" Nao smirked, blinking when she saw the man about to collide with her. Wordlessly she extended her claws, lightly jabbing his leg as he ran past. He made it half way out the door before he collapsed, unable to move.

The second man quickly recovered, running towards the door. Nao pivoted, jabbing him in the side. The man kept running, making it halfway across the main room before falling over as well.

"Huh," Nao smirked. "He made it pretty far, didn't he?"

Natsuki grinned. "Thanks Nao."

"I'll send you a bill." Nao shrugged, causally stepping over Hayashi and into the main room.

"Natsuki!" Mai screamed, feeling a rush of frantic emotions as the door to the boy's locker room opened quickly.

Natsuki looked up instantly, hearing Mai. She exchanged worried looks with Shizuru before sprinting out into the next room. She gasped, shocked as about 30 of the same woman came running out. She was followed by a man who soon disappeared into thin air.

Shizuru, Natsuki and Nao watched in shock as each clone ran up and grabbed a different student.

"Natsuki!" Mai yelled, struggling to get out of the woman's grasp. "Do something!"

"_What_, exactly!?" Natsuki yelled, eyes widening as a clone ran right at her. Natsuki barely had time to form a thin layer of ice at her feet,.

"How should I know?!" Mai screamed back. Natsuki felt a little relieved when the clone wiped out at her feet. She, Shizuru and Nao ran over to the first people they could find, ripping the clones off of them. Reito morphed his body, using his rock like form for extra strength.

"We have to find the real one!" Chie yelled, flipping her clone over her shoulder. "Any ideas?"

"Do they have emotions?" Shizuru asked, walking past the spot where Jiro was struggling with his clone and over to another girl.

Natsuki glanced over at Shizuru. How did she managed to stay this calm? Natsuki was just glad the clones weren't being too rough. If this wasn't planned for school, things would be a lot more serious.

"No." Mai replied, the question taking a moment to sink in. Shizuru jogged over, pulling Mai free.

"Find the one who does." Shizuru instructed, walking behind Mai as she ran from clone to clone.

"It's a little difficult!" Mai exclaimed, panicking. "Could you all try not to feel so much!?"

Natsuki smirked, helping Shizuru keep the clones off of Mai. Nao ran around, grateful the poison in her claws paralyzed clones as well. Soon there was a pile of unmoving, identical women on the floor.

"This one!" Mai yelled pointing to the one Chie was sparring with. Shizuru walked briskly over, looking her in the eyes.

"Remove all of your doubles and wait for further instruction," she said quickly, concentrating. Immediately, all the clones stopped. Every one watched, amazed as the real woman walked over to the paralyzed clones, touching them quickly to make them disappear. The un-paralyzed clones walked up to her, disappearing upon contact. After a few seconds there was only one woman remaining.

Natsuki, along with their whole class, breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, the boy's locker room door slammed closed. Natsuki ran over, trying to shove it open. It didn't move. _That can't be good. _She thought to herself, glancing up at the clock. It was 2:43.

Shizuru ran over, throwing herself on the door along with her.

"The invisible guy," Natsuki glared at the door. "He's blocking it."

"Excuse me ladies," a deep voice came from behind them.

Natsuki and Shizuru turned around. Natsuki was shocked to see Reito, in full fledged rock form standing behind them. He was massive.

Wordlessly, they both moved out of the way. Reito leaned against the door, pushing it open with ease. There was a small crash, followed by a groan.

Nao ran up, paralyzing the newly visible man on the ground before he could get up.

"That was fun." Nao smirked, leaning against the door way. She glanced down at the man, smirking. "Don't worry, nine times out of ten the paralysis wears off."

Natsuki grinned, her smile soon fading as she looked up at the clock. "We have to get out of here." Natsuki said quickly, adrenalin rushing through her veins. "We have six minutes to get back to school!"

The whole class paused, giving her a confused look.

"This is only a replica." Shizuru sighed. "I don't think we'll be able to make it in time."

"What about the van?" Natsuki asked quickly. "Who here can drive?"

Chie gasped in realization. "Natsuki, the driving regulations we were taught... this is why. We're not allowed to drive back!"

"Perhaps not." Shizuru smiled, walking over to the woman. "But _she_ can."

Natsuki grinned. Perfect.

"Everyone quickly get into the van," Shizuru ordered, her control evident even without use of her power. Mai and Chie ran out first. The exit was only a few feet away. The rest of the class followed, getting into the van and buckling up.

"With regards for safety, you will do everything in your power to get us back on time," Shizuru instructed. The woman nodded wordlessly. Shizuru, her, and Natsuki were the last ones to run out of the building. The woman got into the driver's seat, turning on the ignition.

"Come on!" Natsuki yelled, getting into the van.

"I think it's best if I sit up front." Shizuru said quickly.

Natsuki looked at her, worried. Had she done something wrong?

"You distract me." Shizuru whispered quickly. Both girl's blushed. Natsuki grinned as Shizuru ran up and got into the side seat. Natsuki closed the van door, buckling herself in quickly. The van started moving.

Everyone waited anxiously as a couple of minutes past. The van came to an abrupt stop. Natsuki heard one of the doors open, her cue to rip open the van's back doors. Everyone ran out, sprinting through the forum.

Natsuki waited by the doors, grinning as Shizuru ran over. Shizuru laughed as they both started running at the same time.

"Come on!" Natsuki yelled, grabbing Shizuru's hand. Shizuru smiled, holding back tightly. They ran up to the familiar room door. Natsuki threw it open, dragging Shizuru inside. They ran in a few steps, stopping when the saw the whole class looking back at them.

"See?" Midori laughed, turning to Yohko. "Chemistry. Told you there was no way they were just friends." She pointed, grinning. Her smile faded when she realized how loud she'd just been.

The whole class gaped in shock, Shizuru and Natsuki included. Everyone was silent, looking down at Shizuru and Natsuki's conjoined hands. Quickly they both let go, blushing furiously.

There was a mixture of quiet gasps and nosebleeds. No one moved. No one looked away.

The bell rang, making everyone jump.

"Well then..." Midori cleared her throat, ignoring the venomous glare Natsuki was shooting her. Shizuru was too shocked to do anything. "Let's talk about the power op, shall we?" She laughed nervously when she saw Yohko glaring at her as well.

"Take a seat everyone." Yohko sighed. The class wordlessly sat down.

Midori quickly regained her composure. "First things first... I would like to congratulate you on being the first class _ever _to complete that power op. We haven't used that one in over five years." Midori beamed at the class. "I figured _my_ students were up to the challenge."

Natsuki exchanged a look with Shizuru. "Did we just get outed to our entire class?" She whispered furiously.

"A..ara." Shizuru replied, watching Haruka glare angrily at her from across the room. "It's quite possible."

Natsuki looked over at Jiro, who had been staring open mouth at the two of them. Shizuru followed Natsuki's gaze to the green haired boy. He blushed, looking away quickly. Shizuru allowed herself a small smile.

"I guess that takes care of that." Natsuki whispered. Shizuru grinned, nodding.

"This power op in particular has a very strong message," Midori continued. "The very idea that you are constantly being watched is an important one to grasp for the future. Now, that's not me telling you to all become paranoid," Midori grinned, making most of the class laugh. "Those of you who choose to join the FANG unit will be placed day in and day out in life or death situations. One of the most important things to remember is to very careful observe _everything_. Don't trust anyone you don't have to, and be sure to only disclose necessary information." She paused smiling. "You have succeeded where no one else has before. Through your use of keen observation," Midori glanced over at Shizuru. "utilizing all your abilities," she glanced over at Aoi. "and finally, through your use of teamwork, you all successfully passed power op number two."

There was a series of cheers. Yohko laughed, unable to stay mad at Midori for long. Yohko turned to the class.

"Now, to emphasize just how much you can reveal about yourself in a short period of time, we asked the four members to come up with personal profiles for each person interviewed. Not everyone had an interview, but for those of you who did, you will be shown on Monday. Great job once again. You may all go get dressed."

Everyone hurried off to get changed. Natsuki got up slowly, a feeling of complete exhaustion taking over. She helped Shizuru get up and they walked over to the locker room.

When Natsuki had gotten dressed she waited for Shizuru. Natsuki grabbed her bag, slightly annoyed her friends were taking so long.

Shizuru finished getting dressed, turned and walked towards the exit.

"Are you ready to go?" Natsuki asked her, quickly stepping in front. The whole locker room turned to see what would happen. Natsuki smiled softly, ignoring everyone. She met Shizuru's eyes, holding out her hand.

Shizuru smiled, her face flushing as she clasped Natsuki's hand with her own. Natsuki turned to the rest of the locker room, smirking as they all quickly looked away.

Chie walked over to Aoi, sighing happily. "See, aren't they so cute?" Aoi smiled, nodding.

Together, Natsuki and Shizuru walked out. Nao smirked, following after them. Mai grinned at Chie, the two of them hurrying to catch up to their room mate.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading!!! Please review!**

**Lol, so... hopefully no one died of boredom from the length. I know I almost did when I had to look it over once! Hopefully that's just cause I already know happens, :D Oh, and I saw the Harry Potter movie today (once again, when I say today I really mean yesterday, lol)! It was actually very very good. There was a lot more snogging then I remembered in the book, lol. :D**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I would say this is the second last chapter, but lol, I've decided there is no way I can accomplish everything I want to in one more chapter. I really didn't want to cram everything in. So, as of right now, there will most likely be 19 chapters when I'm finished, lol. Here's chapter 17! :D**

**I hope you enjoy reading it!!! :D Please review!**

* * *

**Chapter 17: Preparations**

Shizuru gripped Natsuki's hand tightly when they stepped out into the hallway. Natsuki ignored the looks they were receiving, though she felt her face heat up all the same. Shizuru carefully smiled at everyone who looked her way. To anyone watching, she seemed perfectly at ease.

Walking through the forum had a similar effect. There was a mixture of reactions, ranging from shocked looks to hushed whispers.

"Good afternoon." Shizuru smiled to a group by the exit. The group blushed, nodding. Their gaze lowered to the two girls' joined hands as they walked out. Both girls took a deep breath when they finally stepped outside. They continued walking a few meters, though their dorms were off in separate directions. Natsuki stopped, turning to face Shizuru.

"That was an interesting experience," Shizuru said quietly. Natsuki watched a faint blush form on her face. She gave Shizuru's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Do you think people noticed?" Natsuki asked, grinning.

Shizuru laughed, glancing over at the faces pressed up against the clear door to their school. "Ara, of course not." The people in question quickly backed up, pretending nothing was wrong.

Natsuki glared over at the doors, then growled. "Why does everyone care so much? Everyone else dating holds hands." She glanced over at Akane and Kazu, who were walking together a ways away.

Shizuru grinned, her eyes widening hopefully. "Natsuki?" she asked. "Does that mean _we're_ dating?" she clarified.

Natsuki smiled, raising her eyebrows. "What do you think?"

Shizuru laughed, happiness flooding through her. She pulled Natsuki closer to her, grabbing her other hand too. For a moment both girls forget where they were. Shizuru titled her head down as Natsuki stepped towards her. Natsuki closed her eyes slowly as Shizuru moved in.

"What's everyone looking...," a boy's voice trailed off.

Shizuru and Natsuki quickly jumped back, turning. There were two grade 12 students, frozen in front of the doorway. The girl blushed furiously, pulling the boy's arm to get him to stop staring. Quickly, they both walked off in the direction of the senior dorms.

Shizuru's face flushed. Quickly she turned back to Natsuki to explain. "I..I'm sorry Natsuki." She should have never tried anything so openly. Her eyes pleaded for forgiveness when she saw the blush that had formed on Natsuki's face. Natsuki glanced back over at the forum doors. Everyone was still watching them carefully.

Natsuki took a deep breath, taking a step closer. She shook her head, meeting Shizuru's eyes. "Don't be." She grinned, quickly wrapping her arms around Shizuru's neck. She pulled the older girl's face down to meet her own. Shizuru smiled softly, closing her eyes as their lips met. The kiss started off slowly, but had an exhilarating effect. Shizuru had never been so public with her emotions before.

There was a loud whistle. Natsuki turned around, a menacing glare formed on her face. Chie strolled the rest of the way out the forum doors, laughing. Nao and Mai followed after them, grinning.

"You coming Natsuki?" Mai grinned.

Nao smirked. "We're getting out before we get roped into cleaning up nosebleeds."

Natsuki watched as Chie discreetly tried to wipe the blood off her top lip. Natsuki rolled her eyes, unable to suppress a grin. She turned to Shizuru.

Shizuru's face had returned back to it's normal color. The corners of her mouth turned up in a small smile as turned her attention back from Chie to Natsuki.

"You have that dinner with your parents, right?" Natsuki asked, a disappointed tone in her voice. "Are you gone the whole weekend?"

"My parents and I have been invited to stay over at the senator's house but I'll be back Sunday afternoon." For some reason the look on Natsuki's face made her smile. "I can call your room," she offered. _Will she really miss me that much?_

Natsuki nodded, smiling slightly. "Okay." The idea of not being able to see Shizuru over the weekend made her stomach clench.

Shizuru raised a hand up to brush away a stray piece of Natsuki's hair.

"Wait." Natsuki blurted, causing Shizuru to abruptly pull her hand back. "Oh." Natsuki saw the shocked look on Shizuru's face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you jump." She grinned.

Shizuru smiled, waiting for Natsuki to continue.

"Does that mean you have most of Sunday free?" Natsuki asked. She took a deep breath when Shizuru nodded. Did she really want to go through with this? "I... I'm uh, going back to my parents' house on Sunday." Natsuki hesitated. "...My mom really wants to meet you."

Chie watched the conversation smiling slightly. Much to Nao's disappointment her nose had finally stopped bleeding. "We'll meet you back at the room," Chie quickly offered.

Nao scowled at Chie as she grabbed her arm and dragged her away. Mai grinned, looking back over her shoulder as she followed behind them.

Natsuki watched them leave, her mouth dry because of what she'd just implied.

"I'm sorry?" Shizuru asked, meeting Natsuki's eyes.

"My parents can send a driver to pick you up," Natsuki continued. "I mean, if you want to, that is," she quickly added. "If not that's fine, I understand."

Shizuru stared at her, speechless for a moment. "A..are you sure it's wise for me to meet your parents Natsuki?" she asked, her chest tightening. "Are you sure they really _want_ to meet me?" Her voice was startlingly quiet.

Natsuki looked up, seeing the look on the older girl's face. "Why wouldn't they?" she asked, smiling.

"I have the tendency to make people ...uncomfortable," Shizuru replied, careful with how she phrased her words. "I don't want them to give you a hard time because I'm your partner."

"What are you talking about?" Natsuki laughed. "They'll like you." She smiled. "And I need a chance to prove to you how disturbing they are."

Shizuru smiled, though she found it a little hard to stay calm. There was a long pause. "Are you sure?" she asked quietly.

Natsuki nodded. "Yeah, it's just... my parents work with all these kid's parents. I don't want them finding out from one of them." She glanced over to where a small crowd had gathered.

Shizuru let out a deep breath. "I understand Natsuki."

"So, you'll do it then?" Natsuki smiled, her face lighting up.

"If you wish," Shizuru replied quietly. She knew somehow this would be a horrible mistake.

"Cool." Natsuki smiled. "I'll see you Sunday then." She watched as Shizuru nodded, feeling a little guilty. She looked a little nervous. Why was Shizuru so worried about meeting her parents?

Natsuki's grin fading slightly when she saw a small crowd had gathered outside. She rolled her eyes at the crowed, pulling Shizuru into a passionate kiss. Shizuru flushed, glancing over at the crowd. She turned back to Natsuki, unable to suppress a laugh at the satisfied look on the younger girl's face.

Both girls walked off in the direction of their dorms. Shizuru smiled at the large group as she walked past. The ones who weren't in shock smiled back.

"Have a lovely weekend." Shizuru emphasized her accent.

"Y..you too Fujino-sama." A young girl stuttered. Shizuru turned to look at her, smiling genuinely when she saw her holding hands with the girl next to her. Both girls blushed. Shizuru continued walking, hesitating when she got to the entrance of her room. She took out her key, only to find the door was already unlocked. Shizuru closed her eyes, opening the door.

"SHIZURU!" A voice boomed. Shizuru winced as the shock wave hit her, her hair thrown violently back. There were a couple of startled gasps from the rooms on either side.

"H..Haruka-chan." Yukino gave Shizuru a sheepish look, running over to the blond girl posed in the middle of the room. Shizuru raise her eyebrows, not in the least surprised to see Haruka standing with one hand on her hip, the other pointing accusingly towards her.

"What?" Haruka turned towards the small brown haired girl. "Can you really say that woman deserves any better?!"

Yukino opened her mouth to object.

"No, Yukino!" Haruka yelled. Thankfully the shock wave was barely noticeable this time.

Shizuru wordlessly walked over to her desk, putting down her bag. Her hand held the bag a little too tightly as she put it down.

Haruka turned to face Shizuru, fury hitting her when she realized Shizuru's back was turned. "She doesn't even have the courage to look at me when I'm screaming at her!" Haruka yelled.

Shizuru turned slowly around to face her, her face devoid of all emotion. Haruka stopped, startled when she realized Shizuru didn't have her usual smile plastered on her face. The look Shizuru was giving her... Compared to the usual look on Shizuru's face, she almost looked afraid.

"How could you not tell me?!" Haruka asked firmly, once again finding her voice. "And a girl... Shizuru!? You never even told me you were gay!" Her fists were clenched in anger. "How am I supposed to stand for acceptance and equality in this school, when my own _fr..._" She stopped, coving her shock with anger. "..When my own _room mate_ doesn't feel comfortable enough to tell me these things!?"

Shizuru felt a pang of relief hit her. Haruka wasn't upset that she had chosen a girl, only by the fact she hadn't told her yet. She stopped herself from laughing out of relief.

"Ara Haruka-san, if I had known how interested you were in my love life I may have reconsidered the target of my affections." Shizuru's lips turned up in a suggestive smile.

Yukino repressed a shocked laugh, watching the blond girl's eyes widen in both realization and horror.

Haruka twitched. "Typical bubuzuke." She glared, lowing her voice. "You always think every thing is about you."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." Shizuru replied calmly. Haruka stopped herself from smiling when she saw Shizuru's attitude had reverted back to normal.

"And_ ice girl_, bubuzuke? Of everyone at this school..." Haruka shook her head disappointedly.

Shizuru laughed, the expression on her face fading to a small smile. "I apologize, Haruka-san," she said quietly.

Haruka looked up, startled. They both knew Shizuru wasn't apologizing for her choice of partner. Their eyes met, both girls trying their best not to smile at the other. Haruka snorted, rolling her eyes.

"You're so cooking for me tonight." She informed Shizuru, turning and storming over to her bed. Shizuru smiled at Yukino, both of them pleased Haruka had turned back into her usual self.

"I would be honored." Shizuru replied, an amused look crossing her face when the blond looked back up to glare at her. She turned back to her desk, smiling to herself.

Haruka truly was one of her closest …room mates.

* * *

"Get up Natsuki." Mai pleaded. "Please? I _really_ need to get back to sleep." Mai sighed, as the alarm clock beside her went off once more. She scowled at the clock, getting up. "Natsuki!" She yelled.

Nao jumped up claws half extended. She rolled her eyes when she saw it was only Mai. Chie shifted around in her bed, yawning.

"How is it that you're the only one who manages to stay asleep when I try to wake you up?" Mai sighed. Chie grinned at her, rolling over. "Natsuki?" Mai repeated, walking over and shaking the blue haired girl.

Natsuki groaned slightly, turning away.

"It's four in the morning Natsuki. You asked me to get you up." Mai glared when Natsuki didn't respond. "Should I do it?" Mai asked Chie.

"By all means," Nao answered for Chie, a smirk crossing her face. Mai nodded. It _was_ four AM. It was sad enough she had to set her alarm clock so she could wake Natsuki up. Then again, Natsuki never specified she had to be subtle. Mai walked into the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it with tap water.

She walked back over to Natsuki's bed, not really wanting to go to extremes. "Natsuki." Mai shook her once more. "Either get up now, or I dump this wa..."

Mai stopped, watching the water turned to ice in the glass. She glanced back at Natsuki when the ice turned to steam, eyebrows raised. "Are you even awake?" She asked, squinting so she could see Natsuki's face clearer.

Nao and Chie were watching with interest now, grins on their faces.

Mai noticed how flushed Natsuki's face looked. It was a mixture of that, the expression she wore, and the steam that clued her in. "So it's one of _those_ dreams, huh?" Mai smirked.

Nao gasped with delight, sitting up to get a better view. Chie grinned, popping her cellphone out.

"Natsuki!" Mai yelled into the sleeping girl's ear. Natsuki jerked awake, jumping back a little when she saw Mai's face so close to her own.

"Bad dreams?" Mai asked, raising her eyebrows.

Natsuki blushed, scowling. Why did Mai have to wake her up?

"We all know there's only one girl who can make you melt ice." Mai grinned, walking back over to her bed.

"Is that why around her you're always so wet?" Nao smirked at Natsuki. Chie laughed, sorry she hadn't turned her cellphone on quick enough to catch that.

Natsuki sat up, not sure who to glare at first. "Mai!" She yelled, glancing angrily at the clock beside her. "It's four o'clock!"

Mai nodded, lying back down in her bed. She waited for a moment.

"Oh." Natsuki nodded in realization. "Thanks." She got up slowly, her face returning gradually to normal color. She walked into the kitchen, grabbing the phone and dialing reflexively.

Mai grinned, getting under the covers. She rolled onto her side, completely exhausted.

The phone never made it through a full ring. "Kuga," Daigo's voice sounded through the speaker.

"Hi dad." Natsuki smiled. "Can you put mom on?"

"I'm not good enough, huh?" Her dad chuckled. "Saeko?!"

Natsuki grinned, hearing some shuffling.

"It's Natsuki," She heard her dad quietly explain. Her dad laughed, as more shuffling sounds rang through the phone. "I was going to give it to you anyway."

"Natsuki?" her mom asked excitedly. "Why are awake this early? It isn't like you."

Natsuki scowled, walking over to the nearest chair. "You know how I'm staying over Sunday?" she began, biting her lip as she waited for her mom to confirm.

"...Yes," her mom answered. "Is there a problem?" She sounded worried.

"Huh? No, no problem." Natsuki took a deep breath. "...I was, um, I was wondering if..." She trailed off, trying to find the words.

"Look honey, you're going to have to be quick." Her mom laughed. "Your father and I have to leave soon remember?"

"Why do you think I got up so early?" Natsuki grumbled. "Anyway, as I was saying, I kind of, um... invited Shizuru to come with me." She bit her lip once again, wincing. There was a long moment of silence.

"What?" Her mom asked,after a moment.

Natsuki exhaled slowly. "Is it okay if she comes too?"

"And... you already asked her?" The tone in her mother's voice sent chills up Natsuki's spine.

"Kind of." Natsuki said quietly, going a little pale.

"And you're telling me this now?!" Her mom exclaimed. "Natsuki! I... what am I going to cook?"

Natsuki winced even more. "Maybe _dad_ could cook something?" She laughed sheepishly. Her mom's cooking wasn't exactly the _kindest_ way to welcome someone to their home.

"I'm cooking something?" Natsuki heard her dad's voice quietly. There was a small snap. Natsuki recognized it immediately as the sound of his gun clicking into place in its holster.

"Natsuki invited her partner over tommorow," Her mom replied. Her voice suddenly got louder as she sighed, holding the phone back up to her ear. "I suppose it's okay Natsuki. For future reference I would appreciate a _bit_ more notice next time." Her voice still held a stern tone.

"But I got up at four in the morning!" Natsuki protested. "How much more notice do you need?"

"Natsuki." Her mom said warningly.

"Can I talk to her again?" her dad asked quietly. "Natsuki?" he asked, putting the phone up to his ear.

"Yeah?" Natsuki yawned, shifting in the chair.

"What should I cook?" her dad asked. Natsuki heard her mom gasp behind him. The gasp was followed by a whooshing sound as her dad escaped her mom's glare.

"Daigo!"

Natsuki grinned, hearing her mom yelling.

"I don't know," Natsuki laughed. "But seriously dad, _don't_ let mom cook. Oh and can you tell the driver picking me up he'll have to go to the senator's house after to pick Shizuru up?"

"The senator's house?" Her dad sounded intrigued.

"Daigo!" The yell was louder this time.

"Don't ask," Natsuki replied quickly. "Just make sure the food's actually edible!"

"Got it," Her dad replied. "See you tommorow Natsuki."

"Daig..." There was a small beep as the phone shut off. Natsuki grinned, feeling a little sorry for her father. She yawned once more, putting the phone blindly down on the counter as she walked back to her warm bed.

* * *

"I do hope everything was to your liking." The senator smiled, gesturing at the remains dinner set out in front of them. For some reason, Shizuru noticed, the question seemed to be directed towards her. Shizuru smiled, deciding it was the senator's way of discreetly signaling political talk was over. Her parents mirrored her smile. Everything had gone as planned so far as they were concerned.

"Of course senator." Shizuru replied. "You have outdone yourself." Her eyes flickered briefly over to her parents. They remained silent, though Shizuru could tell they were pleased by her response.

The senator smiled. "There are no need for formalities Shizuru-san. Especially not from someone as powerful as you."

"You flatter me Adachi-san." Shizuru laughed lightly, placing her fork down. She was careful not to meet the older man's eyes as she glanced over in his direction. It had been a request from her parents to avoid eye-contact. They didn't want the senator feeling uneasy during their discussions.

"I trust school is going well," the senator began, taking a sip of his wine before continuing. "I believe last time I heard you were first in your class."

Shizuru repressed a smile. He believed? No doubt he had double checked to avoid embarrassment. "School is going quite well, thank you for remembering."

"I'm sure in a few years time you will be a fine addition to the FANG unit. Any ideas who you wish to partner with?" he asked. Shizuru swallowed carefully, maintaining her composure.

"I must confess I haven't given it much thought." She laughed. She thought about Natsuki, her chest tightening. Talking about her would only raise more questions.

"Isn't the youngest Kanzaki in your grade?" he asked curiously.

Shizuru's grip on her glass tightened. "That is correct. Reito-san and I are quite well acquainted."

The senator hesitated, knowing she understood what he was implying. The fact that she didn't say anything more told him the topic would probably be best left alone.

"I'm sure we'll see great things from him as well." The senator smiled. He casually glanced over at the elegant clock on the far wall. "Ah, look at the time. You're probably quite exhausted from your long trip over." He waved over a couple maids and they began to clear up the dishes.

"It _has_ certainly been an interesting week." Shizuru's father laughed, getting up when the senator and his wife did. Shizuru watch her mother do the same, smoothing out her dress in one fluid motion.

The senator smiled warmly. "Well then, I'll have Yoi show you to your rooms." He nodded towards the housekeeper in the corner of the room.

"Arigato, as always, for your hospitality." Shizuru's father replied, tucking in his chair.

"It's my honor to have you here." The senator shook her parent's hands.

"Arigato," Shizuru's mother repeated, the first one to follow Yoi out of the room. Shizuru's father gestured for Shizuru to go first before following behind. They walked down a few hallways. Shizuru noted with interest how many bed rooms the senator's house had. She started to suspect he had given them the farthest room possible so they would gain a feel for the immense size of his house while walking the hallways. Finally, Yoi stopped, bowing to Shizuru's parents.

"Your room, Fujino-san," she gestured to the room to her left before looking at Shizuru. "Your daughter's is this one beside it."

Shizuru's parents nodded as Yoi walked past.

"You did very well Shizuru," Her mom smiled. Shizuru recognized the smile with ease. It had been specifically crafted for dealing with politics.

"I am pleased you think so," Shizuru replied mechanically, looking up to meet her mother's light red eyes. Her mother quickly looked away, unable to hide her discomfort effectively. Shizuru turned towards her door, inhaling a slow breath.

"Sleep well Shizuru," Her dad called out as she walked inside. Shizuru shut the door quietly, leaning against it when it was locked. She heard the sound of her parents closing their door in a similar manner. Shizuru inhaled a shaky breath, her hands now trembling slightly. Her parents never stayed alone with her for long.

Shizuru examined the room, her expectations too accurate for her to be impressed. She walked over to the bed, stepping past her bag. Lying down, she closed her eyes, trying to think of anything but her parents. She allowed her thoughts to drift off to Natsuki.

For a moment she almost regretted they had, realizing what would take place tommorow.

Tomorrow she would meet Natsuki's parents.

* * *

"But what do I tell them?!" Natsuki raised her voice. She sat tensely on the corner of her bed, her friends doing the same.

Nao grinned, Natsuki's obvious distress faintly amusing.

"Chie?" Natsuki asked, glancing over on her direction.

"_Now_ you ask me for help?" Chie replied, exasperated. "I don't know. I don't even know your parents Natsuki." She paused, grinning. "Well, except for that commercial a few years back."

Natsuki groaned. "What did you tell your parents?" she asked the charcoal haired girl. She glanced nervously at the clock. She should already be waiting outside for the driver at this point.

"I told them I fell in love with a cute girl," Chie replied, shrugging.

Everyone in the room turned to face her. Natsuki raised her eyebrows.

"It was the second day of kindergarten," Chie added defensively. "What do you expect?"

Mai sighed. Natsuki groaned, panicking. "Seriously, how do I tell them? And, what about Shizuru. Should she be there when I tell them? Or should I ask to talk to them alone for a moment or something?"

Mai opened her mouth to answer, then closed it a few seconds later. "You should really get going Natsuki," she said quickly, laughing sheepishly.

Natsuki glared, making Nao smirk. "Thanks for the help Mai," she replied sarcastically.

Mai winced. Natsuki took a deep breath, glancing at the clock once more. "I guess this is it then." Natsuki swallowed hard as she got up.

"Good luck." Chie smiled at her reassuringly.

Mai nodded. "Natsuki, your parents love you. This won't change that you know."

Natsuki nodded silently. She smiled at her room mates, the action a little forced. Before she could change her mind she walked out of the room and down the hallway. She paused at the dorm entrance when she saw the vehicle her parents had sent for her. _A limo? _Natsuki snorted, walking over and getting in. Why did her mom always have to try so hard to impress everyone?

* * *

Shizuru walked slowly over to the bench near the house's entrance. It was a nice day outside, though Shizuru wasn't in a very appreciative mood. She sat down nervously, crossing her left leg carefully over her right. The driver would be here any minute. Shizuru examined her choice of outfit once more, hoping she wasn't under dressed. She'd chosen to wear tight fitting beige pants and a slanted maroon shirt. Her assumption of informality was solely based on how Natsuki dressed in general.

A few minutes later a black limo pulled up. Shizuru took a deep breath, thinking perhaps she had under dressed quite severely. It was too late to change now. She walked over to the limo, thanking the driver as he held the back door open for her.

She quickly climbed in, turning around. She was startled when she found Natsuki smiling at her from across the small enclosure.

"Hey Shizuru." Natsuki grinned, gesturing for Shizuru to sit down beside her.

"N..Natsuki? What are you doing here?" Shizuru laughed, happy to see the younger girl. She quickly moved over, sitting to face Natsuki. The limo began moving slowly.

Natsuki smiled, pulling her in closely. Shizuru's eyes fluttered closed as they kissed softly. Natsuki pulled back , weaving Shizuru's fingers through her own.

"How was the dinner?" Natsuki asked, watching Shizuru's reaction.

Shizuru smiled softly shaking her head. "I wouldn't want to trouble you with details."

Natsuki grinned. "That bad, huh?"

Shizuru laughed, nodding. "I would have much rather spent the day with you."

Natsuki met her eyes. "Did you get caught up with your parents?" She wondered if Shizuru had told them anything about her. "Did... did you tell them about me?" She asked quietly.

Shizuru shook her head, feeling guilty when she saw the look on Natsuki's face. "I expect I have quite a different relationship with my parents then you do with yours."

Natsuki detected the way Shizuru's voice wavered slightly. "W..what do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"My power puts them in a difficult situation," Shizuru replied, looking away.

"Why?" Natsuki asked, trying to meet Shizuru's eyes. "They're your parents." Natsuki felt her heart rate increase, sensing the serious turn in their light conversation.

"It isn't their fault." Shizuru smiled, looking down. "It's simply the nature of my ability."

"But... it's not like they're scared of you or something." Natsuki laughed. Shizuru nodded, refusing to meet her eyes. "R..right?" Natsuki whispered, seeing the sudden change in Shizuru's behavior. "Shizuru?" she pushed, her chest clenching tightly.

"Of course not," Shizuru whispered, trying to stop her eyes from watering.

"Tell me what happened," Natsuki pleaded, not believing her for a second.

"Please, let's change the topic," she replied. Natsuki noticed how tightly Shizuru was gripping her hand, although it was almost as if the older girl hadn't realized.

"Please?" Natsuki whispered, turning Shizuru's face gently with her hand. "You can tell me anything, remember?"

Shizuru nodded, trembling slightly. "...I know," she said after a moment. She paused, breathing out slowly. Natsuki waited patiently, the sound of the car the only thing either girl could hear. Shizuru knew Natsuki wouldn't let the topic go until she answered.

"W..when I discovered my power, my parents were equally as surprised as I was." She swallowed forcefully before continuing. "After all, it had skipped a generation entirely."

Natsuki nodded, understanding.

"When I first told them, they were torn between mild happiness and extreme discomfort. Having a gifted child, of course, is beneficial to one's status. But my parents were in a better position then most to understand how corruptive power could be." Shizuru paused, trying to find the elusive words she sought.

"They, um..." She hesitated, inhaling shakily. "They had security cameras put in all major rooms of our home. They said it was a precaution against burglary, but..." She trailed off, biting her lip. "They would never go into my room alone. And they knew to use my power I would have to make eye contact. I..I think that's the one reason I was allowed to stay."

Shizuru turned to look out the window. She didn't want Natsuki to see her like this. "They were very careful to avoid meeting my eyes." She blinked, feeling a warm tear fall down her face. Quickly she wiped it away, hoping Natsuki hadn't seen the gesture.

"My parents began to act differently around me. The change itself was almost instantaneous. ...Suddenly I was treated as if I was someone of high status; with a sense of careful precaution and false affection. So, not knowing what else to do, I attempted to fit into my assigned role. I treated them the way they treated me, hoping that if I could find a way to be like them, I would somehow earn their trust." She laughed quietly, inhaling shakily at the end as more tears fell. "Instead I think my behavior scared them. Things have been the same ever since."

Natsuki watched the way her body trembled as Shizuru tried to hold back her tears. "Shizuru," she whispered, trying to get the older girl to look at her. Natsuki carefully wrapped her arm around Shizuru's shoulders, pulling Shizuru against her softly. Shizuru hesitated at first, shaking her head. Natsuki waited until she gave in, her head falling back on Natsuki's shoulder as tears streamed down her face.

"You have no idea how strong you are," Natsuki whispered, leaning her head against the older girls as her own eyes verged on welling up with tears. Shizuru shook, stifling a sob as she held tightly onto Natsuki's shirt. Natsuki squeezed her hand, kissing the top of Shizuru's head.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Natsuki was grateful it was such a long drive to her parent's house. She stroked Shizuru's hair softly until her breathing returned to normal.

Shizuru closed her eyes, letting Natsuki's warmth envelop her completely. The steady rise and fall of the younger girl's chest was incredibly soothing. A few more minutes past until Natsuki finally spoke.

"Shizuru?" she asked quietly, rubbing her head gently against Shizuru's soft hair.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru whispered, opening her eyes once more.

"I don't think I'm going to get along with your parents."

Shizuru smiled, unable to stop herself from laughing. Natsuki grinned as Shizuru sat up, relieved to see the familiar sparkle returned to Shizuru's eyes.

"I hope I get along with yours," Shizuru replied, smiling. She was immensely grateful for the sudden change in atmosphere. "You have no idea how nervous I am."

"Trust me, I do." Natsuki grinned. "I have no idea how to tell my parents about us."

Shizuru looked her in the eyes reassuringly. "Natsuki, if you don't want to, I understand," she quickly replied. "I know how difficult it'll be for you. Especially if I'm there when you tell them." Shizuru herself was afraid of what might happen. She knew how important Natsuki's parents were to her.

"N..no." Natsuki shook her head. "I want you to be there."

Shizuru gave her a questioning look. "Why?" she asked quietly.

"Because if they meet you they'll have no trouble understanding why I feel the way I do," Natsuki replied confidently.

Shizuru blushed faintly, laughing. "Are you absolutely sure?" she asked, giving Natsuki another chance to back out. A large part of her hoped Natsuki would take it.

"You don't have to worry." Natsuki smiled softly. Her voice took on a quiet tone. "You know everyone loves you Shizuru."

"Everyone?" Shizuru blushed faintly, turning to meet Natsuki's eyes.

Natsuki's face flushed as she hesitated. She opened her mouth to speak, pausing before she could finally find words. "_I_ love you, Shizuru," she whispered, her voice quivering. The look in her eyes left no trace of doubt in Shizuru's mind.

Shizuru trembled, reaching her hand up to touch Natsuki's cheek. "And I love you, " she replied, seeing Natsuki's eyes light up as the words left her lips. She smiled, taking her hand off Natsuki's cheek as she lay her head on the girl's shoulder once more.

She had never thought it was possible to love to such an extent.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading!!! Please review!**

**Oh, I almost forgot... I'm going on vacation for a few days. Apparently it's been decided I'm not allowed to take my laptop with me, lol. So, unfortunately I won't be able to update until I get back. I'm aiming to have chapter 18 out by Saturday, but I really can't be sure. **


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update this chapter!!! ... (*glances at clock in horror*) I tried to update last night, but I couldn't get the document manager to work. So, after having a few heart attacks, I went to bed and tried this morning. Then it wouldn't let me log in, lol, you guys may have had the same issue (needless to say more heart attacks ensued). Anyway, I'm really really sorry it took so long to get this up, but here it is...  
**

**I have to say, this chapter was sooo emotionally exhausting to write. Not only did I have to write a coming out story, which is intense enough as it is, lol, I had to do it from four different points of view. :D So, this chapter focuses a lot on Saeko and Daigo as well as Shizuru and Natsuki. I hope it comes across as realistic (for Natsuki's family anyway), though its a little hard to sum everything up in 8000 words, lol. **

**I originally planned to solve the Tomoe issues in this chapter too, but there was absolutely no way I could fit it in. So, lol, chapter 19 will focus on that, and then chapter 20 (lol, I'm into serious overtime now) is going to be the epilogue. Lol, sometimes I'm a little too long-winded for my own good. :D**

**Thanks for being patient!!! I really hope you like it!!! :D**

* * *

**Chapter 18: First Impressions**

The limo slowly came to a stop. Natsuki and Shizuru looked at each other, hands locked in a tightening grip.

"Is this it?" Shizuru asked quietly, studying Natsuki's face.

"This is it." Natsuki nodded, glancing out the window. Her house's large size seemed more intimidating then ever before. Natsuki took a deep breath, letting go of Shizuru's hand. She opened the door before she could change her mind and stepped out of the vehicle. Shizuru did the same, quickly making sure her clothes weren't creased.

The two girls locked eyes for a moment. Shizuru was the first one to start walking towards the house. Natsuki quickly followed, hesitating when they had reached the top of the steps.

Shizuru noticed Natsuki pause before she rang the bell. She reached out and took the younger girl's hand. The gesture was for her own sake as much as Natsuki's. There was a click as the door was unlocked. Natsuki and Shizuru quickly released hands, their faces slightly flushed.

"Natsuki." Saeko beamed, opening the door widely. Her eyes fell on the girl beside her, and her smile widened slightly. "And you must be Shizuru." Saeko took a careful look at the older girl, slightly startled by the color of her eyes. She had to admit the girl was incredibly beautiful, with a strange look of sophistication she'd never seen anyone so young manage to pull off. She watched the girl carefully, her trained eyes detecting only a hint of nervousness. In a way, she found it oddly endearing.

"It's a honor to meet you." Shizuru smiled, bowing her head slightly. She was a little unused to hearing her name said so informally. Carefully, she slowed down her breathing to appear relaxed, but it was harder then usual. Shizuru studied Natsuki's mother discreetly, amazed at the resemblance between her and Natsuki.

Saeko grinned, turning to Natsuki. "Do you hear that Natsuki?" she asked. "You should treat me with more respect."

Natsuki snorted, unable to repress a smile as she shoved past her mother and into the house. Shizuru followed when Saeko gestured her in.

There was a sudden blur of movement. Shizuru barely managed to stop herself from jumping when Natsuki's dad suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Hi." Daigo winked, holding out a hand. "I'm Natsuki's dad."

Shizuru smiled warmly, shaking his hand. She studied the shade of green in his eyes she would recognize anywhere. "Natsuki bears quite a resemblance to both of you." She turned to Saeko and smiled before shaking Daigo's hand.

Daigo grinned. "Yeah, well, Natsuki got lucky."

Natsuki rolled her eyes and allowed her mother to hug her quickly before she walked over and sat down on the couch. Shizuru watched Natsuki walk off, a slight feeling of panic hitting her.

"Please, sit down Shizuru." Saeko smiled, gesturing over to where Natsuki was. Shizuru nodded, happy to oblige.

"Arigato." She walked over and sat beside Natsuki, careful not to sit too close. She slowly crossed her legs, waiting for Natsuki's parents to sit down as well.

Saeko and Daigo sat down on the couch opposite to them. Saeko looked at the girls sitting side by side. They were both extraordinarily unique in appearance. It was an interesting contrast; Natsuki's slouched position and Shizuru's perfect form. _I suppose she's used to formal introductions. _Saeko thought. _She did, after all, just stay the night at the senator's house._

Daigo glanced over at his wife as he sat down. They exchanged a quick look. He smiled slightly when he saw the pleased look on her face. He glanced back at the light brown haired girl seated beside his daughter. "So tell me, Shizuru..." He grinned slightly. "Is Natsuki as difficult to teach as Saeko was?"

Saeko let out a small gasp. Natsuki crossed her arms when Shizuru laughed.

"I seem to recall it was _me_ teaching _you."_ Saeko replied casually, turning to Natsuki and Shizuru and raising her eyebrows.

"They don't give grades for _that_ kind of teaching." Daigo replied, smirking.

Natsuki chocked, her face flushing slightly.

Shizuru turned to Natsuki with an amused look on her face. "Actually, Natsuki learns at a very fast rate. She's already surpassed most in her grade." Shizuru replied.

Daigo beamed at his wife, pleased to hear Natsuki was doing well. He'd been worried she wouldn't be able to catch up to the rest of her class.

"You must be a good teacher." Saeko smiled. She didn't doubt Shizuru knew what she was talking about.

"Ara, you flatter me." Shizuru laughed. "Natsuki is quite easy to teach." She turned to Natsuki locking eyes with her. Natsuki smiled slightly before glancing back over to her parents.

"...You have a very interesting accent... are you from Kyoto?" Saeko asked.

Shizuru nodded. "I am, arigato." She felt herself tense up as the conversation focused on her.

"Don't you mean ookini?" Daigo smiled teasingly.

Shizuru couldn't help but laugh. "You wouldn't believe how hard it was to break myself out of that habit."

Natsuki watched Shizuru and her father talk. Her mother was staring at Shizuru as if she was trying to answer some unspoken question, but she seemed to be warming up to her. Her dad had skipped right through the get to know you stage and moved right on to the teasing.

"Why go to all the trouble?" Saeko asked, curious.

"M..my parents asked me to. It was my father's idea." Shizuru replied, inhaling slowly.

Natsuki was the only one other then Shizuru who picked up on the small tremor in her voice. She bit her lip slightly, stopping herself from taking Shizuru's hand.

"He asked me to avoid words native only to Kyoto. For political reasons of course." Shizuru forced a laugh, meeting Natsuki's parents' eyes. "It was, naturally, a little ridiculous. Even my mother refused to stop saying 'ara'. I decided if she didn't have to, I didn't either." Shizuru smiled quickly to emphasize its unimportance.

Saeko grinned. "Good for you." Saeko couldn't help but think it might be a little oppressive living in Shizuru's family. She'd never met the girl's parents, but she had a feeling they might not get along. Still, there was something about the girl in front of her she liked.

Daigo watched Saeko out of the corner of his eye. After 18 years of marriage he effortlessly recognized the look of genuine interest on his wife's face. He took her hand gently, meeting her violet eyes for a brief second. _Well that's settled then_. Daigo decided, giving Saeko a nod only she could detect. _We both like her._

They sat for another half hour, their conversation quickly covering a wide range of topics. Both Shizuru and Natsuki were relieved the conversation never turned into a direct interrogation. They talked about training, operations class, teachers. Even Natsuki slipping in the small fact that she got a sixty-one on her math quiz didn't seem to bother her parents too much. _I should invite Shizuru over when I get my math test back! _She thought happily.

Natsuki watched Shizuru reply to something her father had said. She wasn't even listening anymore. Natsuki smiled slightly as she turned to face Shizuru. She knew only Shizuru could manage to win her parents over so effortlessly.

"Shizuru?" her mother cut in, the sudden change in tone snapping Natsuki out of her train of thought.

"Yes?" Shizuru replied quickly. She stopped herself from looking over at Natsuki.

"Maybe you can tell me." Saeko grinned mischievously. "Since you do, after all, see my daughter more often then I do.

Shizuru met Natsuki's worried gaze with one of her own. She cleared her throat quickly, smiling as if nothing was wrong.

"Has Natsuki met anyone?" Saeko continued.

Daigo laughed, shaking his head. "It had to happen sooner or later," he told Shizuru apologetically.

Shizuru tried to smile, but she found herself unable.

"H..hey!" Natsuki blurted defensively. She knew how flushed her face looked, so she compensated with anger. She knew that sort of reaction was the one her mother had been looking for. "What do you say we change the topic, _mom_?" Natsuki glared quickly, giving her father a desperate look.

"Please?" Saeko pouted slightly. "I think I have a _right_ to know these things. And who better to ask then my daughter's partner?" She looked at Shizuru hopefully, a little shocked to notice the girl's steady smile wavered for a moment. Saeko's gaze shifted curiously to her daughter. Natsuki looked even more embarrassed then usual. Did that mean... had she met someone?! "Natsuki?" Saeko laughed with joy. "You've met a boy?"

Natsuki's fists clenched involuntarily. Shizuru could feel Natsuki tense up even without looking at her. She would have said something quickly to draw attention away from the topic, but she didn't know how or when Natsuki wanted to go through with her plans.

Natsuki gulped, knowing Shizuru was just as nervous as she was. But the timing... they hadn't even been there that long. Wordlessly, Natsuki shook her head.

"No?" Saeko sighed. "I don't believe you," she declared after a moment. Natsuki was definitely acting differently from the all the other times she'd asked her. "Shizuru, please, help me out here. I need to know these things. It's simply my job to live vicariously through my daughter." She grinned, causally tilting her head towards Daigo. "...to make up for my own non-romantic high school years of course."

Daigo pretended to be offended, but he couldn't stop himself from grinning.

"So?" Saeko turned back to Shizuru, eyes sparkling. "Is he handsome?"

Shizuru's eyes flickered over to Natsuki as she opened her mouth to speak. Natsuki's eyes met hers, silently pleading. Shizuru didn't know what she was supposed to do. She didn't have the right to tell her parents about them. They didn't even know her. _Think, Shizuru. Stay calm and find a careful way out of this situation._

Natsuki froze, horrified. This wasn't at all how she'd planned. Not that she actually had a plan...

There was a loud ringing. Shizuru and Natsuki jumped, so flustered they couldn't stop themselves in time. They blushed slightly, glancing at each other before watching Saeko quickly get up.

"That would be lunch." Saeko smiled, walking into the kitchen.

Natsuki paled when she heard her mom open the oven door. Her eyes widened as an ..._overpowering_ smell hit her. "Dad?" Natsuki hissed, her fists clenching even tighter. "You let her cook?!"

Shizuru coughed discretely when the scent reached her. _A..ara, that's...quite ...unusual._

Daigo laughed sheepishly, praying his wife would walk in before he would have to explain. "I tried Natsuki, but she wouldn't listen," he whispered frantically. "She started going on about how much I hate her cooking, and then she did that pouting thing, and you _know_ I can't take it when she..."

"Dad!" Natsuki cut him off, half yelling, half sighing. Her gaze hardened even more. "It's okay dad. I'm sure I'll forgive you ..._eventually_." She paused, waiting for a moment.

"Natsuki." Her dad sighed. "I really did try you know. I have to eat it too."

Shizuru watched the display, the look on her face a product of amusement and the pointless attempt not to breathe in the smell.

"You owe me for this dad." Natsuki scowled before pausing once more. "Hey, dad?" She said after a moment, a small smile forming on her face.

"Yes Natsuki?" her dad replied wearily. When Natsuki got that look on her face it usually wasn't a good thing.

"You have to stop mom from talking about guys until the very end, okay?" Natsuki asked, the words sounding a little more hopeful then she would have liked.

Daigo raised his eyebrows, giving Natsuki a look. Why did she insist on giving him impossible tasks? It really wasn't fair.

"Please dad?" Natsuki swallowed hard, her grin fading quickly.

Daigo picked up on the seriousness in her voice. "Is everything okay Natsuki?" He asked, frowning slightly. She looked worried all of a sudden, a look he almost never saw on his daughter's face.

"I hope." Natsuki replied quietly. "Please, will you try?" She met her dad's eyes, green against green.

Her dad nodded slowly. It seemed important to her for some reason. Natsuki never really asked him for anything, but this time she looked serious. "I'll do my best," he replied, watching the relief flood over his daughter's face. "Does it matter what I tell her?"

"Just... put it off until the end, and I'll do the rest," Natsuki replied, meeting Shizuru's gaze.

Daigo watched the two girls look at each other, still unsure what was going on. Had Natsuki met someone? He felt his heat rate increase a little when he imagined some perverted teenage boy with his daughter. He took a deep breath, getting up to go help Saeko.

"Arigato dad." Natsuki smiled sincerely. Daigo smiled back, nodding as he started to walk off. Natsuki breathed out a sigh of relief when he was out of the room. Wordlessly, Natsuki turned to face Shizuru. Their eyes met quickly as Natsuki slowly reached out for Shizuru's hand.

There was a small whoosh as her dad suddenly reappeared in front of them. Natsuki inhaled sharply when she saw the panicked look on her father's face. Had he figured it out!?

"Natsuki?" Daigo hissed, glancing from Shizuru back to her quickly. "Are you... you're not..." He trailed off, glancing back at Shizuru once more. He leaned in a little closer to Natsuki, watching her visibly pale. He took a deep breath.

Natsuki waited for him to continue, ready to confirm all of his fears. If this was the way it had to be, she wouldn't deny her feelings for Shizuru.

Shizuru felt her heart beat at an incredible rate. Natsuki's parents were nothing short of wonderful. If she ruined that for Natsuki she'd never forgive herself. She didn't think Natsuki would be able to either.

"...P..pregnant... are you?" Daigo hissed, thinking about what he would due to the father of her child. Having a legal arsenal of weapons did come in handy.

Shizuru gaped slightly, quickly correcting herself before anyone could notice. _That was unexpected._

Natsuki's look of fear quickly turned to rage. "Ex...excuse me?!" She snarled.

Daigo took a step back. "That's a no then?" he asked happily.

Natsuki growled. "Dad!"

"Okay, okay, that's all I needed to know." Daigo replied quickly before speeding back into the kitchen.

Shizuru and Natsuki turned to face each other once more, serious expressions on their faces. It took about three seconds for both of them to burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Natsuki grinned, shaking her head. "So, what did you think of my parents?"

Shizuru smiled, allowing Natsuki to finally take her hand. "They're a lot more like you then then you know."

"That bad?" Natsuki winced, making Shizuru laugh.

"They're wonderful Natsuki," Shizuru replied, lifting her hand up to stroke Natsuki's arm. She met her gaze, smiling softly.

Daigo coughed, trying to see through the clearing smoke. He quickly walked over to the table and set down the 'lasagna' on the hot plate. Saeko brushed her hands off in a satisfied movement.

"There." She nodded, turning to her husband. "What do you think?"

Daigo gulped, nodding quickly. "It... um... it's an unusual dish to have here." He smiled reassuringly as he stifled a cough. He stole a quick glance over at the table, doing his best not to wince.

Saeko smiled, happy with his answer.

"Saeko?" Daigo walked over to her, an unreadable expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" Saeko asked, meeting him halfway.

"Natsuki requests that you hold off talking about boys until the very end, alright?" Daigo asked, knowing he was sure to be bombarded with a mess of questions he didn't know how to answer.

"What? Why? ...She's met someone hasn't she?" Saeko grinned. "Why doesn't she want to tell me until the end?"

"I don't know," Daigo replied after a moment. "But it seems important to her. I think we should respect her wishes."

Saeko smiled, nodding. "You know I always thought my parents wouldn't like you either."

"You mean they do?" Daigo grinned, picking up the plates off of the counter. Saeko laughed, watching as he set the table in less then two seconds.

"They warmed up to you eventually." She smiled, before raising her voice. "Natsuki, Shizuru, lunch is ready," she called out, walking into the living room.

Natsuki and Shizuru let go of each other's hands quickly and got up when they heard her coming. Saeko turned and walked back over to the table.

"I apologize for this in advance," Natsuki whispered quickly. Shizuru smiled before bravely walking over to the table. She waited for Natsuki and her parents to sit down first, choosing the empty seat to Natsuki's right. Daigo and Saeko sat opposite to them.

Shizuru saw the expectant look on Natsuki's mother's face. She ignored the look of disgust that appeared on Natsuki's face. "I don't believe I've ever had lasagna before," she said finally, careful with her choice of words.

Natsuki raised her eyebrows, knowing there was no possible way Shizuru could think it actually smelled edible. She glanced over at her father, smirking slightly at the look on his face.

"Let me know what you think," Saeko beamed, cutting out a chunk and putting it onto Shizuru's plate. Shizuru smiled, putting her plate on the table as Saeko started serving Natsuki.

Natsuki turned to Shizuru when her mom looked away. Shizuru met her eyes evenly, only a hint of a smile on her face. Natsuki grinned, nudging Shizuru's knee with her own under the table. Shizuru coughed sightly, directing Natsuki's attention back to her mother. Natsuki blushed slightly, taking the plate and trying not to wrinkle her nose in disgust. Insulting her mom's cooking probably wouldn't help her out later.

Shizuru waited until everyone had been served before taking a small bite. She knew Saeko was watching her carefully for a reaction, so she quickly shoved the rest of the bite in her mouth. _Just try __**not**__ to focus on the taste. _She instructed herself, trying desperately to maintain the relaxed look on her face. She chewed quickly, forcing a smile. "It's very different. ...It must have taken quite a while to prepare."

Saeko smiled, quite aware the girl wasn't exactly complimenting her. _Is it really that horrible? _She asked herself, taking a small bite. She managed to stop herself from sighing as she forced herself to swallow. _The stupid recipe must have been off somehow._

Natsuki and Daigo suppressed a grin when they heard Shizuru speak.

_She's very good. _Daigo thought to himself, cutting off a large chunk of the lasagna. He felt an odd sense of pride that she was Natsuki's partner. He waited carefully until his wife looked away before using his speed to dump the large piece onto his daughter's plate.

Natsuki gaped, looking up and glaring furiously. _You are so dead dad. _She quickly looked down when her mother turned back to face her. Daigo grinned, seeing the way Shizuru hid a smile carefully behind her hand. He winked at the brown haired girl before looking back down at his plate.

The four finished eating quickly, the room almost silent as they all tried not to give away how horrible the food was. Even Saeko was struggling not to throw hers out. It was mostly her pride that kept her eating. She watched Shizuru take another bite, impressed at the perfectly neutral look on her face. If she didn't know any better she would have believed Shizuru liked the food. Saeko smiled to herself. Her manners were impeccable.

"So," Daigo glanced up, looking at Shizuru. "Have you had your first power op yet?"

Shizuru and Natsuki exchanged small grins.

Saeko saw the exchange and looked at her husband with excitement. "Well you can't just _not_ tell us after that little look." Saeko pulled her chair forward eagerly.

"Ara." Shizuru laughed. "Of course. Natsuki?"

"Hm?" Natsuki grunted, turning to face Shizuru. Shizuru tried to hold in a smile, but the look on Natsuki's face was too much.

"Would you care to begin?" Shizuru asked. Natsuki kicked her under the table, making Shizuru suppress a laugh. "Alright Natsuki," Shizuru smiled, meeting her eyes. For a moment she almost forgot that Natsuki's parents were watching them. "But you'll have to help me out."

Daigo and Saeko watched the exchange curiously. It was almost as if the brown haired girl had undergone a complete transformation. Saeko realized it was the first time she had smiled like that since she'd gotten there.

"Our first mission was to disable a bomb." Shizuru turned back to Daigo and Saeko. "We had to initially track down an individual who's picture was given to us and retrieve the bomb location. The bomb was, of course, guarded by a second individual." She looked at Natsuki to let her jump in.

"And?" Daigo asked, surprised their first power op was so complex. _Natsuki must have a very enthusiastic teacher._

Natsuki grinned, rolling her eyes at Shizuru. "Well, that would have been fine and all... except that Shizuru's the best in the whole school."

Shizuru blushed faintly, opening her mouth to object.

"Oh, don't even." Natsuki grinned, cutting her off. "You know it's true."

Shizuru laughed, shaking her head.

"Anyway, so our teacher decided Shizuru needed a challenge. And if you've ever seen her fight, that's not exactly easy to do." Natsuki crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair.

Shizuru blushed more, staring down at her plate. Daigo and Saeko exchanged amused looks. Shizuru blushing was something neither of them ever expected to see.

"So, naturally, she assigns us to the one person in the school who can literally walk through walls to get away from us." Natsuki grinned, forcing Shizuru to do the same.

"A phase shifter?" Daigo laughed, his wife doing the same. "What did you do?"

"We searched our area quite thoroughly, but we couldn't find her," Shizuru replied, turning to Natsuki and smiling slightly. "Natsuki figured out one of the teachers we asked had lied to us. The girl in question was hiding in the classroom's closet."

Saeko grinned. "As if your job wasn't difficult enough already."

Natsuki smirked, nodding. "So I burst through the front and Shizuru waited in the next room over. When the girl backed through the wall Shizuru looked her in the eyes and made her stop."

"That's quite a power." Saeko told Shizuru, smiling.

Shizuru looked up, meeting Saeko's eyes. Quickly she looked away not wanting her to think she was trying to use her power. She forced a smile, turning back to Natsuki.

Natsuki picked up on the sudden change in atmosphere. She knew how much Shizuru hated talking about her power. Discreetly, Natsuki's hand found Shizuru's under the table. Shizuru looked up to meet her eyes for a second longer then she should have.

Saeko looked at Daigo, raising her eyebrows slightly as she felt the table's mood shift suddenly.

"You two must make a very good pair." Daigo smiled warmly. Natsuki and Shizuru's hands tightened as they both blushed furiously.

"A..arigato." Shizuru replied quickly, never letting go of Natsuki's hand.

"Hey, Shizuru," Natsuki said quickly, letting go of Shizuru's hand and getting up. "Do you want to see my room?"

Saeko and Daigo opened their mouths to object. Natsuki still hadn't told them the rest of the story.

"I'll finish later, okay?" Natsuki swallowed hard. Saeko sighed, nodding.

"Of course," Shizuru replied, picking up her plate.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Saeko said quickly, gesturing to the plate in Shizuru's hand. "I'll get it in a moment."

Shizuru smiled, putting her plate back down carefully. "Arigato for the meal," she said before following Natsuki out of the room. Shizuru walked behind the younger girl down the hallway, glancing briefly at the pictures on the wall as she did.

"This is it." Natsuki stopped in front of one of the doors. Shizuru caught up to her, glancing at the next series of pictures. She stopped abruptly, a smile forming on her face as she looked at one in particular.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki poked her head out of the room when she realized Shizuru wasn't following her. She looked at Shizuru, wondering why the older girl had her hand clamped over her mouth. Natsuki followed her gaze to the picture of herself when she was six. She had on the kids knock off FANG uniform her parents had bought her. She was holding up a fake gun while her parents raised their hands up in surrender.

Natsuki's eyes widened in horror. "Sh..Shizuru! You can't look at those!"

Shizuru shook, stifling a laugh. "Ara, but ...you're so adorable Natsuki!" She studied the annoyed look on Natsuki's face in the picture, a very similar look to the one Natsuki was giving her now. Natsuki groaned, pulling Shizuru through her door as she laughed.

"Yeah, what a good message that picture has too. It's completely fine to pull a gun on your parents... as long as your wearing the cheap uniform they bought you." Natsuki said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Shizuru laughed, seeing Natsuki's point.

"Nah, they kept their guns locked up at all times." Natsuki admitted. "But still ...did you see how cheap that uniform looked?"

Shizuru laughed as the door closed quietly.

Daigo glanced up at Saeko, eyebrows raised. He took the stacked plates from her and set them down in the sink.

"They're talking about the pictures." Saeko explained for his benefit.

"Oh." Daigo grinned. "I was wondering there. Not many people get away with calling Natsuki adorable."

Saeko laughed in complete agreement. "They do seem to get along well, don't you think?"

Daigo nodded, turning back to face his wife. "So, what do _you_ think of her?"

"Well, _I've_ always known our daughter was adorable." Saeko grinned. "I think it's her hair color. Stunning, don't you think?"

Daigo laughed, stepping slowly towards the navy haired woman. "Really? I've always been more fond of her eyes."

"That's only because your own eyes are going in your advanced age." Saeko replied, not missing a beat. Daigo laughed, allowing Saeko to pull him in for a quick kiss.

"But you like her?" Daigo continued, wanting to be sure.

"I do," Saeko replied definitively after a moment. "She's very unusual, don't you think?" She followed her husband to the couch in the living room.

Daigo nodded, knowing what she meant. "She's very sophisticated for someone so young."

Saeko sat down beside him, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Could you imagine growing up in such a political environment? Her parents are very powerful figures."

"_She's_ very powerful." Daigo reminded Saeko. "A power like hers could be incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands." He ran his fingers through her long hair gently.

Saeko nodded as he stroked her hair softly. "Are you concerned Daigo?" She asked quietly.

Daigo thought about it for a moment. "It may sound strange, but I'm not." There was something about Shizuru that told him not to be.

Saeko turned her head to study her husband's handsome features. "No?"

Daigo shook his head. "She knows how much power she has, but I can tell she doesn't _want_ to let it define her. Did you see the way she avoided talking about her power?"

Saeko nodded. "I noticed. She probably doesn't want people to discuss what were talking about now." She couldn't help but fell a little guilty. She thought about it for a while. "She has so much responsibility she hardly seems like a child."

Daigo locked eyes with Saeko, smiling after a moment. "We've taken too many years of profiling Saeko."

Saeko laughed. "You might be right. Still... this girl intrigues me to no end."

Daigo grinned, understanding exactly what she meant. "And did you see how happy Natsuki seemed at lunch? Despite the food of course," he added.

"Hey!" Saeko scowled.

"Even _you_ had trouble eating it." Daigo laughed. "Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

Saeko glared, deciding not to respond. Daigo grinned, shifting on the couch carefully.

"I think Natsuki _is_ happy," Saeko finally replied. "But she seemed uncharacteristically nervous for some reason. I think it has something to do with the boy she likes."

"How are you so sure there even is a boy?" Daigo laughed.

Saeko grinned, turning to look up at him. "Well, I'm fairly certain there isn't a girl."

Daigo laughed harder. "You know what I mean, Saeko."

Saeko nodded, smiling. "Mothers can tell these things you know. I just hope he's good enough for her."

"Will anyone be good enough for her?" Daigo asked, raising his eyebrows.

Saeko smiled, shaking her head. "I'm not _that_ impossible Daigo. As long as he can make her happy."

There was a faint sound of laughter coming from Natsuki's room. Saeko sat up, grinning at Daigo.

"Come on." She whispered, holding out her hand to help him up.

Daigo looked at her hand, an amused look on her face. "Are you really implying what I think you are?" He asked.

"Daigo!" Saeko hissed, glaring at him until he reluctantly took her hand.

He groaned slightly, allowing Saeko to drag him quietly down the hallway. "This is very mature." He whispered into her ear, as they used their stealth training to walk inaudibly.

Saeko smiled, nodding as she put her hand on the door handle.

"What's our alibi?" Daigo whispered over the laughter emanating from Natsuki's room.

Saeko paused, her trained mind thinking fast. "We want to go mini putting." She whispered back. Daigo raised his eyebrows as his wife pushed the door open a crack.

"And who's this?" Shizuru laughed, picking up a small stuffed animal from Natsuki's shelf.

"That's Duran." Natsuki replied. "He's my compensation for not being allowed to have a real dog."

Shizuru laughed, flipping over the toy husky. "Are you quite sure he's male?" She raised her eyebrows, holding up the dog's underside for Natsuki to see.

"Oh, shut up." Natsuki grinned, throwing her pillow at the older girl. Shizuru laughed, catching the pillow and lying down beside Natsuki on her bed.

Daigo and Saeko repositioned themselves so they could see through the small crack in the doorway. Saeko smiled when she saw both girls laughing. It was refreshing to see the brown haired girl laugh so freely. It was almost as if she was finally letting go.

Natsuki rolled over so she was lying on her back. She took the stuffed animal from Shizuru balancing it on her stomach. "Do you like my room?" she asked curiously, tilting her head slightly.

"I love it," Shizuru replied, glancing around. It was quite different from her own room. She smiled when she saw all the motorcycle models Natsuki had set up on one shelf.

"Why?" Natsuki asked, looking at the walls she always thought were a shade too dark.

Shizuru turned to look her in the eyes, smiling softly. "Because it's yours," she replied simply.

Natsuki smiled, studying Shizuru's dark red eyes. "My parents like you. I can tell."

Daigo nudged Saeko, grinning. Saeko stifled a laugh, not wanting to give away their position.

Shizuru's smiled softly. "That's kind of you to say."

"I'm serious." Natsuki grinned. "They honestly do."

Shizuru looked at her for a moment. "Do you really think so?" She asked quietly. "Natsuki, my power makes it understandably hard for..."

"Don't." Natsuki grinned, cutting Shizuru off with a pillow to the face. "I can tell these things. They are my parents."

Saeko was stunned for a moment, smiling only when she saw Shizuru laugh. She allowed Daigo to pull her away from the doorway and back into the hallway.

"They act so naturally around each other." Saeko smiled. "They must be very good friends."

Daigo nodded, glancing back up at the door quickly. "They're a lot more playful when we're not around you know."

Saeko laughed quietly, before her expression softened. "Did you hear what Shizuru said?"

"I think our daughter cleared up that nonsense." Daigo smirked, remembering the soft smack as the pillow hit.

Saeko nodded, a feeling of pride washing over her. "I think they're good for each other," She said finally. "Natsuki looks so happy. ...I'm glad Shizuru is her partner."

Daigo opened his mouth to agree, but was cut off by more laughter. He smiled at Saeko, glancing towards the door once more. Saeko grinned, walking quietly back over. He sighed quietly, shaking his head as he followed her.

"Why can't I name a stuffed animal after you?" Shizuru laughed. "I think it's my choice after all."

"I bet you do." Natsuki grinned, rolling her eyes. She looked at Shizuru's expectant look before sighing in mock exasperation. "What kind of stuffed animal would it be?"

Shizuru bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Ara, that's a good question. Wasn't it you who said you could talk to wolves?"

Natsuki groaned before breaking down into laughter. "It was the only thing I could think of!"

"Well then," Shizuru laughed. "...I'll have a wolf named Natsuki."

"I'll buy you the wolf if you name it something else." Natsuki offered. Shizuru shook her head.

"Arigato, but I'll simply have to decline," Shizuru replied. She smiled, imagining the look that was sure to be on Natsuki's face if she did buy one.

"Can I name a stuffed animal after _you_?" Daigo whispered into his wife ear, covering her mouth gently as she laughed.

Natsuki watched the smile on Shizuru's face slowly fade. Her own did the same. She reached up to gently brush Shizuru's hair with the back on her hand. "Are you still nervous?" She asked quietly.

Shizuru nodded, the reminder causing her chest to tighten with fear.

"Please don't be." Natsuki whispered, sitting up so she was leaning over her. She brushed the hair out of Shizuru's face before leaning in closer. She closed her eyes just before their lips met gently, her hand tracing slowly down Shizuru's cheek.

Saeko and Daigo froze, too shocked to make a sound. When Saeko finally managed to breathe it came out as a gasp, stifled only by her husband's hand. Daigo pulled her blindly back into the hallway, stumbling with the effort. Saeko turned to face him, the look of shock on his face a reflection of her own. Wordlessly they walked down the hallway, their minds trying desperately to process what they had just seen.

"W..wh....Daigo, what just happened?" Saeko asked quietly.

Daigo met her gaze, speechless. He led her over to the couch, sitting down beside her.

"D...Daigo, they were..." She swallowed hard. "… they were just fooling around, right?" Saeko whispered, searching her husband's face for an answer. "...Right?"

Daigo shook his head. "Y..you know that's not true Saeko."

"But they were..." Saeko struggled to find the words. "That would mean... that would mean Natsuki is..." She trailed off, inhaling quickly. "But she can't be, Daigo. ...Natsuki's _not_ gay."

"Saeko..." Daigo whispered softly, stroking her hair. "It's okay, Saeko. Everything is fine."

"How can it be okay?" Saeko, shoved his hand away. "How, Daigo, can it _possibly_ be okay?" She snapped. "D...doesn't she realize what she's doing? Doesn't she know how people will treat her if they find out?" Her eyes met his frantically.

"Shh," Daigo whispered softly, wrapping his arms around her tightly. Saeko went limp, holding onto him with a tightening grip.

"Daigo, I couldn't bear to see her get hurt." Saeko whispered, a few tears sliding freely down her face.

"I know," Daigo replied, his own chest tightening with fear. "But you know how strong Natsuki is." He added the last part in an attempt to convince himself as much as his wife. "...We both know she'll be alright."

"How do you know that?" Saeko asked quietly, wanting desperately to believe him. "You know how cruel people can be."

Daigo nodded reluctantly. "But she has us to look out for her," he replied firmly.

"We hardly see her as it is." Saeko argued, wiping away the tears furiously. "What happens when someone at school finds out? Well be hours away, in the middle of a mission."

"You saw how happy she was." Daigo said quickly. "...You saw how happy they were together."

"But, what if she's just confused?" Saeko asked, half hoping it was true. "What if she's just mixing up friendship with something else entirely? O..or what if, Shizuru's power..."

"I don't think so." Daigo cut her off, shaking his head. "Saeko you must have seen the way they looked at each other. There was nothing forced about any of it."

"But... Daigo..." Saeko tried desperately to find some way to convince herself.

"What would you do if someone told us _we_ couldn't be together?" Daigo asked rubbing the back of Saeko's head gently. "Do you really think they could keep us apart?"

Saeko shook her head into his shoulder, moving her hands up to grab his back. "But this is different, Daigo."

"How is this different?" Daigo asked, pushing Saeko gently off of him so he could study her face.

"Because she's our daughter." Saeko replied, frustrated she was unable to come up with a good reason.

Daigo smiled softly, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. "It shouldn't matter who Natsuki chooses, as long as they make her happy. Isn't that what you told me?"

Saeko opened her mouth to object, but closed it after a moment. "...Right." She whispered, taking a deep breath. "As long as she's happy."

Daigo nodded. "And we like Shizuru, remember?" He laughed quietly. "I'm glad Natsuki chose her."

Saeko nodded back, taking several more slow breaths. "I do like her." She admitted, before looking up quickly. "But, Daigo, what if ..." She trailed off, a look of horror crossing her face. "...She's too pretty Daigo." She blurted in realization.

Daigo opened his mouth to reply, but he was rendered a little speechless. What was Saeko trying to say?

"What if Shizuru falls for someone else? She _must_ have admirers Daigo. What if she decides she likes one of them more? O..or she..."

"Saeko," Daigo cut her off, laughing. "Let's deal with one crisis at a time, okay?"

Saeko nodded, realizing how frantic she was acting. She breathed out slowly, putting her head back on her husband's shoulder. "I just worry about her so much." She whispered, wiping away the last of her tears.

"M..mom? Dad?" Natsuki stuttered, stopping in her tracks. She inhaled sharply when she saw the tears on her mother's face. "W..what's wrong?"

Shizuru looked from Natsuki to her parents, not sure what was going on. She took a step back, her face flushing. She politely looked down at the ground, not wanting to stare.

Saeko and Daigo pulled away quickly, turning to face their daughter.

"Can we talk to you Natsuki?" Saeko asked, struggling to force the words out. She wasn't sure this was a conversation she'd ever be ready to have. She remembered how nervous Natsuki had been acting, feeling a wave of guilt hit her. Was she planning on telling her?

"Y..yeah." Natsuki replied, shocked. She turned to Shizuru, a feeling of panic hitting her fiercely.

"I'll wait in your room." Shizuru said softly, meeting Natsuki's eyes for a moment before she turned and walked back. She sat down on Natsuki's bed, the nervousness washing over her steadily. Had her parents suspected something?

"Mom, what's wrong?" Natsuki repeated, walking into the room. She looked from her mother to her father, waiting anxiously for an answer.

Daigo could tell it was hard for Saeko to find the words she was looking for. "We, um..." He himself found it suddenly hard to speak. "We saw you... with Shizuru."

Natsuki's chest tightened painfully, as she nodded. "W..what did you see?" she whispered, already knowing the answer. Her cheeks flushed when she looked back up at her mother. She couldn't help but feel guilty when she saw her mother wiping away tears. Was it really so horrible?

"Were you going to tell us?" Saeko asked quietly, meeting her daughter's eyes.

Natsuki nodded slowly, looking down at her feet. "I..I'm sorry mom." She felt her eyes slowly start to water.

"Don't." Saeko cut her off.

Natsuki trembled, too afraid to look up at her parents. Her hands tightened into fists.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Saeko finished, watching Natsuki look back up at her. She smiled softly forcing her daughter to meet her gaze. "I'm glad you would have told us."

Natsuki gaped, too shocked to speak. Saeko laughed quietly, glancing over at Daigo. He smiled at Natsuki, watching as Saeko walked over to her daughter.

"I'll admit it was a bit of a shock." Saeko laughed, pulling Natsuki into a tight hug.

Natsuki shook, overwhelmed with emotions. "You... you're not upset?" She looked at her father as she hugged her mother back.

Daigo shook his head, walking over and ruffling Natsuki's hair.

"We're just worried about you." Saeko sighed, reluctantly letting her daughter go. "Are you going to tell people at school?"

"What?" Natsuki asked. "Oh, mom, dad, everyone already knows." She laughed, the relief inducing a feeling of elation.

"What?" Saeko frowned, backing up a little so she could see Natsuki's face clearer.

"None of my friends care." Natsuki grinned at the look on her mother's face. "Shizuru and I won't know about the rest of the school until Monday."

"T..the whole school knows?" Daigo gaped.

Natsuki nodded sheepishly. "It was kind of an accident."

"You told the whole school before you told your own mother?" Saeko glared, horrified at the thought.

"It was an accident." Natsuki laughed. "I'm sorry, mom, I should have told you."

Saeko shook her head in disappointment. "Am I really that hard to talk to?" she asked, feeling hurt.

"N..no, of course not." Natsuki grinned, pulling her mom into another hug. "...I was going to tell you before I told dad."

Saeko laughed, turning to her husband and crossing her arms. Daigo saw the smug look on her face and crossed his arms too, pretending to be offended. Natsuki laughed, walking over to hug her father.

Natsuki pulled back after a moment, letting everything sink in. Her parents knew about her and Shizuru. They knew, and they didn't hate her for it.

Suddenly a thought occurred to her. "Wait... how exactly did you guys manage to see us?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. "The door was closed."

"Was it?" Saeko asked innocently, walking over to join her husband.

"Mom!" Natsuki laughed, rolling her eyes. She sighed after a moment, grinning. "So, what do you guys think of Shizuru?" Natsuki asked, suddenly feeling a little nervous once again. She looked from her mother to her father anxiously.

"You two seem to compliment each other very well," Saeko replied, smiling when she saw the relief wash across Natsuki's face. "I think you made a very wise choice."

Natsuki nodded, turning to her father for his opinion.

"I can tell you care for her a great deal," He said after a moment. "That's all I really need to know."

"I..." Natsuki paused, taking a deep breath. "...I love her." She was still getting used to saying it.

Saeko and Daigo looked at each other, nodding after a moment.

"I'm glad." Saeko said finally. "...Do you want to go get her?"

"Oh, yeah." Natsuki laughed, quickly walking out of the room. She grinned as she walked into the room, flopping down on her bed beside Shizuru.

"Is everything alright?" Shizuru whispered, the look of worry playing havoc with her elegant features.

Natsuki nodded, sitting up so she could look Shizuru in the eyes. "My parents know... about us."

Shizuru blinked, her mouth completely dry. "..And?" she whispered, bowing her head as her cheeks flushed quickly.

"They want to talk to you." Natsuki replied, unable to stop herself from smiling.

Shizuru nodded wordlessly, following Natsuki down the hallway. She tried to steady her breathing, but quickly gave up. Her chest had tightened so fiercely she was lucky to be breathing at all. She inhaled sharply when Natsuki's parents came into view.

Natsuki took her hand, leading her over to them. Shizuru glanced up, meeting Natsuki's eyes with a questioning look. Was Natsuki sure holding her hand was wise?

Natsuki smiled, turning back to her parents.

Saeko exchanged a look with her husband as Shizuru walked in. The poor girl looked so nervous. She smiled sheepishly, knowing her husband felt as guilty as she did. Patiently, she waited for Shizuru to walk up to her.

Shizuru kept her head bowed down as she waited for someone to initiate the conversation. She manage to stop herself from gasping as Natsuki's mother hugged her.

Saeko pulled the brown haired girl into a gentle hug. "Arigato." Saeko said softly, pulling away and smiling reassuringly. "You have made Natsuki happier then I've ever seen her. ...And you should have seen her the first time she saw a motorcycle." Saeko laughed, wanting to break up the tense atmosphere.

Shizuru laughed, a mixture of shock and relief overpowering her. "A..arigato." She replied, looking from Natsuki's mother to father. Did they really not mind? She turned back to Natsuki who shrugged sheepishly.

"So..." Daigo cleared his throat. Shizuru and Natsuki turned back to face him. "Anyone up for mini putting?"

Everyone laughed. Natsuki wasn't sure if he was joking or not. Knowing her father, he probably wasn't.

"I confess I've never been mini putting." Shizuru smiled, walking over to Natsuki.

"Never?!" Saeko replied, shocked. "Well that's settled then. Daigo, get the car."

Daigo grinned, zooming off before anyone could blink.

"Why did you have to say that?" Natsuki asked Shizuru, sighing in exasperation.

"I apologize." Shizuru laughed, taking the hand Natsuki offered her happily. The two girls looked at each other, blushing slightly as they followed Natsuki's mother out to the car.

"Your parents are incredible." Shizuru told Natsuki sincerely. "I admit this was one scenario I never even considered possible."

Natsuki smiled, stopping in the doorway to the garage. She pulled Shizuru closer to her, kissing her fiercely. "You still haven't seen that commercial," Natsuki replied, slightly breathless. Shizuru's mouth turned up in a smile as she nodded. Together they walked over to the car.

Daigo and Saeko exchanged glances from the car. "They're worse then we were." Daigo grinned.

Saeko smiled as Daigo started the car.

* * *

**A/N: Oh, lol, here's my very first omake ever... I though this up in the middle of my vacation (which was awesome by the way :D)...**

**OMAKE: **(somewhere in an alternate Shiznat-ish universe)

**Natsuki: "Here's my room Shizuru, I'll be back in a minute."**

***walks down the hallway***

**Saeko: *grins evilly and shifts into Natsuki's form before walking into Natsuki's room***

**Shizuru: *glances up and smiles at 'Natsuki'***

**Saeko: "So tell me Shizuru, what do you think of the guy I like?" *mentally praises herself for being so clever***

**Shizuru: *laughs, pulling 'Natsuki' in closer* "Your mother _is_ quite persistent." *leans in to kiss Natsuki passionately***

**Saeko: *gasps and backs away in shock***

**Shizuru: *panics* "What's wrong Natsuki?"**

**Saeko: *shifts back into her own form, trying to process what just happened***

**Shizuru: *blinks***

**Saeko: *blinks back***

***...serious emotional damage to both parties ensues***

**Shizuru and Saeko: "...NATSUKIIIIII!!!!!!"**

**-End of Omake- :D  
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**A/N: D Lol, can you imagine how disturbing that would have been?**

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review!!! :D**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Okay, lol, so this is just plain getting ridiculous. I was all hyped up about resolving the Tomoe issue, and then I started writing... I decided it really wasn't fair that Natsuki had to come out to her parents, and all Shizuru had to do was play mini putt. :D So, I kind of starting writing random things, and from there this chapter was born...**

**Lol, there will only be 21 chapters!!! *writes contract in blood* I don't care if I have to make chapter 20 fifty thousand words long! :D**

**Oh, and at the end of this chapter I have two plot summaries for my next possible fiction. I would really appreciate it if you could read them, pick a favorite and vote using the poll that should appear on my profile by the time you read this fanfiction . net is being extremely slow though, so I'm not sure if it will or not. If you can't see it you can just PM me or leave your vote in a review if you choose too. I don't know when I'll start writing, and I'll probably need longer update periods, but at least I'll be able to start brainstorming. :D**

**And here's chapter 19:**

**Thanks for reading!!! Please review!!!**

* * *

**Chapter # 19: Phoning Home**

"I still don't believe you," Natsuki stated as she closed the limo door. Shizuru laughed, shuffling over so she was beside Natsuki. "There is no way you've never played before."

"Ara, such accusations." Shizuru smiled. "I'm sure it was only because _you_ showed me how. I confess you might make a better teacher than I do."

"Oh, don't use flattery to avoid the topic." Natsuki suppressed a smile when she remembered helping Shizuru move her arms to hit the ball properly. She could have sworn her mom thought they were going to go at right there. "...Shizuru, you beat the score on the card... you know, the impossible number to beat because they got some mini putt expert to do the course first and that was their score?" Natsuki raised her eyebrows when Shizuru's mouth turned up in a small smile.

"Beginners luck perhaps?" Shizuru offered, trying not to laugh.

"Shizuru!" Natsuki laughed. "No one beats the score on the card."

"I see." Shizuru grinned mischievously, looking down at her card.

"And you got 4 hole in ones." Natsuki continued, taking the card from the older girl's hand. She paused for a moment. "...Have you ever heard of anyone having more then one superpower?"

Shizuru laughed making Natsuki grin. "How useful that power would be."

"You never know," Natsuki argued. It could have a use... probably.

"Well, I'm fairly certain _you_ have more then one power." Shizuru said after a moment, her eyes sparkling.

Natsuki raised her eyebrows as Shizuru turned her head towards hers. Natsuki smiled, meeting her eyes for a moment before pulling the older girl closer to her. Their lips met when Shizuru quickly closed the gap between them. They pulled away after a long moment, breathless.

"I rest my case," Shizuru breathed out quickly.

Natsuki grinned, her face flushing gently. "Shizuru!"

Shizuru smiled, pulling Natsuki in once again. Natsuki barely had time to close her eyes as Shizuru pressed her lips hungrily against her own.

* * *

Twenty minutes later the limo slowed to a stop. Shizuru lifted her head off Natsuki's shoulder reluctantly, leaning back in her seats.

Shizuru sighed softly. If only Natsuki's house was farther away from the school. Natsuki smiled sheepishly, getting out of the limo and holding the door open for Shizuru.

"Ara, what chivalry." Shizuru laughed as she took Natsuki's offered hand. They quickly thanked the flushed limo driver and walked a ways towards the school. It was almost nine o'clock so there weren't any students out. Everyone had still had ten minutes to be in their rooms, but by then it had gotten too dark out anyway.

The limo drove off behind them. Natsuki turned to Shizuru, stopping. "Shizuru, I just um..." She paused, trying to find the words she needed. "Arigato, Shizuru. I don't think things would have worked out if you hadn't been with me."

Shizuru smiled softly, bringing her hand up to brush Natsuki's cheek. "I'm glad I came with you," she replied truthfully. Her voice went a little quieter. "I only wish my parents would be so accepting."

Natsuki met her eyes, nodding. "I'm sorry," she said softly. She paused for a moment, a small smile on her face. "Are you going to tell them about us?"

Shizuru lowered her hand, her face flushing slightly. "I... I don't know how to Natsuki. They aren't like your parents at all."

Natsuki nodded. "I know."

"They'll find out soon enough." Shizuru said after a moment. She smiled after a moment. "We'll quite possibly cause a political scandal."

Natsuki grinned. "Then you should probably warn them."

Shizuru sighed, nodding. "I suppose that's true." She hesitated for a moment, making up her mind. "I think I'll call them when I get back to my room."

"You're going to call them?" Natsuki raised her eyebrows. "Don't you think you should tell them in person?"

Shizuru smiled, shaking her head. "They've never really considered face to face meetings with me a courtesy." She considered it for a second. "At least on the phone they have the option to bow out of the conversation gracefully."

Natsuki smirked. "What? Hang up on you?"

Shizuru laughed. "Exactly. I wouldn't want to cause a scene. And I must admit I have no desire to see my parents again so soon. I... I planned to tell them yesterday, but..." She trailed off. "...I didn't get around to it," Shizuru said finally. Her parents would never have forgiven her if she brought up something so controversial at the senator's house.

"I understand," Natsuki replied, smiling reassuringly. "In that case, I'll go with you." She glanced over in the direction of Shizuru's dorm.

"I wish you could," Shizuru told Natsuki. "But we don't have time. The curfew..." Shizuru hesitated. It wasn't only the curfew she was worried about. She didn't want Natsuki to have to hear what her parents would say.

Natsuki scoffed. "Shizuru, you're the student council president. You get kids in trouble, not the other way around."

Shizuru laughed. "That's technically true, however both my room mates posses almost the same level of authority."

"Oh." Natsuki sighed, thinking of Haruka. "Can't you talk to them?"

"I'll be okay." Shizuru replied, sounding a lot more confident than she felt. "I'll see you at breakfast tommorow."

Natsuki frowned slightly. "Are you sure Shizuru? ...I know how hard it is. And if it was hard for me... I can only imagine what it must be like for you." She could see how nervous Shizuru was. And with Shizuru's ability to hide her emotions that could only mean she was nothing short of terrified.

Shizuru smiled. "Goodnight Natsuki." She met Natsuki's eyes with her own before tilting her head down to give Natsuki a quick kiss.

"Good luck." Natsuki said quietly.

"Arigato." Shizuru whispered before walking off. Natsuki watched, her chest tightening with guilt.

"Shizuru!" Natsuki called out. She ran to catch up with the older girl.

"What's wrong?" Shizuru asked, turning as Natsuki stopped beside her.

"I'm coming with you," Natsuki said firmly.

"What?" Shizuru replied, shocked. "Y..you can't Natsuki." She jogged to catch up to the navy haired girl as Natsuki walked briskly off towards her dorm.

"Try and stop me." Natsuki grinned, turning back.

Shizuru couldn't help but smile. "You'll get in trouble Natsuki," she argued.

"_I_ will, but technically _you'll_ be in your room, so you can't get in trouble," Natsuki pointed out.

"Yes, but I'll be charged with harboring a known fugitive," Shizuru replied, her smile widening.

"You can say I forced my way in," Natsuki offered.

"That would be lying." Shizuru laughed.

"Not at this rate." Natsuki grinned, holding the dorm doors open. "Come on Shizuru, I'm not going to let you do this alone."

Shizuru met Natsuki's eyes, smiling when she saw the look of determination on the younger girls face. "Ara," she sighed, walking through the door.

Natsuki smiled, following behind her. Shizuru took a deep breath when they got to her room. She gave Natsuki one last look before knocking on the door.

The door opened after a few seconds. "Bubuzuke!? Where the _he_..." Haruka trailed off, blinking when she saw Natsuki leaning casually on the wall beside the door. "Ice girl?" She asked, crossing her arms. "Do you two have any idea what time it is?!"

"Look, you can punish me all you want..." Natsuki began. _Well, maybe not __**all**__ you want... _"...But there's something Shizuru and I have to do first."

Haruka turned to Yukino with a questioning look on her face. Yukino folded the shirt she'd been holding, and shrugged.

"What are you talking about?" Haruka asked, sighing.

"I'd rather not discuss it," Shizuru replied, keeping her face neutral.

Haruka studied her roommate's face. "Students are supposed to be in their dorms by nine o'clock. It's past nine Shizuru. The rules go for everyone." She leaned against the door frame in exasperation.

"But she's in her dorm." Natsuki countered, looking at Haruka like she was a little insane.

"I wasn't talking about her." Haruka replied, standing up a little straighter.

Natsuki sighed, trying her best not to glare. It didn't work. "_Please_ can you just go sit in the main room for half an hour or so? I'll be gone by the time you get back."

Haruka scowled, looking from Natsuki to Shizuru. Shizuru gave her a look. "Are you really asking me to ignore the sanctity of the rules I pledged to enforce?!" Haruka growled.

Natsuki nodded. Haruka's eyes narrowed.

"Please," Shizuru said quietly. "...Please, Haruka-san."

Haruka hesitated, turning to face the brown haired girl. She saw the urgent look on Shizuru's face. What was so important to her? Haruka crossed her arms after a moment. "You know it's a good thing you can control people. I never would have agreed to this otherwise."

"I'm not using my power," Shizuru replied, eyebrows raised.

"Of course you are." Haruka scoffed, hiding a small smile. "Why else would I be doing this?" Haruka gave Shizuru a look that dared her to argue.

The corner's of Shizuru's mouth turned up in a smile. "Arigato."

"I'm not doing this for you bubuzuke!" Haruka replied angrily. "If I had control over my own body I would apprehend you both as we speak!"

"I... of course," Shizuru replied, trying not to laugh. "I understand completely."

"Good." Haruka glared. "Come on then Yukino. Let's go."

Yukino stifled a laugh as she followed the blond out the door. She gave Shizuru a small smile before following Haruka down the hallway.

Natsuki grinned, raising her eyebrows as she watched Haruka leave. "Is she always like that?" she asked.

Shizuru smiled, walking into the room. "You should see her when she does have control over her own body."

Natsuki laughed, glancing around the room. She'd never been in Shizuru's room before but it was nicer than hers by a long shot. There were only three beds taking up space, and the room itself was a little bigger. She walked over to Shizuru's corner and flopped down on top of her bed. Natsuki turned, leaning her head down on an amethyst colored pillow.

Shizuru walked out of the kitchen with a portable phone, inhaling sharply when she saw Natsuki lying down on her bed. Her face flushed a little so she quickly turned away.

"What's wrong?" Natsuki asked, seeing her reaction.

"Hmm?" Shizuru replied innocently, trying not to think about how many times she'd envisioned what she was now seeing.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki gave her a suspicious look.

"It's nothing Natsuki." Shizuru laughed. "...I just... may or may not have been mentally prepared to see you _already_ eagerly sprawled out on my bed."

"Shizuru!" Natsuki laughed, blushing. "Hentai!"

Shizuru grinned mischievously, Natsuki's reaction urging her on. "Ara, of course, when I imagined this particular scenario I wasn't exactly standing beside you with a phone in my hand."

"And what _exactly_ did you imagine!?" Natsuki smirked, her face heating up.

"You'll never know." Shizuru replied, laughing at the look on Natsuki's face.

"But... Shizuru!" Natsuki argued, her curiosity too much to handle. "If I was in it I have a right to know."

"Well then," Shizuru replied, eyes sparkling. She slowly walked over to the edge of the bed. "Would you like me to demonstrate?"

Natsuki's face felt like it was on fire. Shizuru was unable to contain a smile as she slowly climbed onto the bed beside Natsuki. She watched the younger girl's face carefully, not wanting to go too far. Natsuki's eyes met hers and she carefully positioned herself with one leg beside Natsuki, and the other between the younger girl's legs.

Natsuki grinned as she shifted positions a little. "Like that?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Well," Shizuru replied, her voice suddenly hoarse. "Not quite." Slowly, she leaned over the younger girl.

Natsuki inhaled sharply, the sudden rising of her chest making her brush against Shizuru's. Shizuru smiled softly, bending down until they were touching.

"You know," Natsuki started, meeting Shizuru's eyes. "...When_ I_ imagined this, things were a little different."

Shizuru's eyes widened in shock as Natsuki flipped her onto her back. Her head landed against the pillow softly.

Natsuki smirked at the flushed look on Shizuru's face, her breathing rate increasing rapidly as she leaned over the brown haired girl in a similar manner.

"Oh really?" Shizuru grinned, using her training to flip Natsuki onto her back once more. She raised her eyebrows teasingly at the younger girl.

Natsuki laughed, struggling with Shizuru to flip her over once again. Shizuru laughed, fighting only for a moment before letting Natsuki win. Both girls spun around once more.

Shizuru's eyes widened when the bed disappeared out from under her as she spun. Natsuki gasped as they both fell, wincing as they hit the ground hard.

"Oof." Natsuki landed on top of Shizuru, the brown haired girl breaking her fall nicely.

Shizuru burst out laughing when she realized what had happened. The stunned look on Natsuki's face was almost too much. She winced a little when she moved her head. Who knew the floor was so hard? Natsuki however, was surprisingly light.

"Are you okay?" Natsuki burst out laughing, collapsing fully on top of Shizuru.

"Ara, I'm fine." Shizuru grinned as Natsuki move to support her weight with her hands.

Natsuki made sure she wasn't leaning on Shizuru's hair before turning her head down to lock eyes with the older girl.

"I like this way too." Shizuru said softly, smiling as Natsuki bent her head down. Natsuki smiled back, closing her eyes as their lips met fiercely.

"But Haruka-chan it hasn't been half an hour!" Yukino cried out.

Shizuru and Natsuki pulled away, startled. There were stomping sounds from beyond the closed door.

"Why does she need half an hour?" Haruka grumbled, reluctantly allowing Yukino to lead her back down the hallway.

Shizuru and Natsuki breathed sighs of relief as the footsteps got quieter. Natsuki carefully got up, helping Shizuru do the same. They exchanged looks, trying not to laugh. Haruka might have gotten the wrong idea if she'd walked in on them then.

Shizuru's smile faded when her gaze fell on the phone perched on her desk. Natsuki followed her gaze, meeting her eyes for a moment. Shizuru swallowed carefully, picking the phone up and sitting down on her bed. Natsuki sat down beside her, Shizuru's nervousness affecting her just as much.

"Shall I?" Shizuru asked, her fingers tracing lightly over the phone's buttons.

Natsuki took her empty hand, nodding. "O..okay."

Shizuru met her eyes, nodding back. Taking a deep breath she ignored the part of her that begged her to stop and began dialing. She almost hit the wrong number twice. Natsuki's grip on her hand tightened.

Shizuru paused, her finger hovering over the last number. Natsuki shook her hand slightly to get her to look up.

"You can end the call any time you want to." Natsuki told her. Shizuru nodded wordlessly. Before she could change her mind she pressed the last number, breathing in quickly as she held the phone up to her ear. The phone rang a few times. Part of her hoped her dad's cell phone wasn't on.

"Fujino Satoru speaking." Her father's strong voice rang clearly through the phone.

Shizuru opened her mouth to speak, unable to make a sound.

"Hello?" Her father asked after a moment. There was a short pause.

"H..hello father." Shizuru forced the words out. "I hope I'm not calling too late."

"Shizuru?" He sounded audibly exasperated. Shizuru knew that must mean he was at home. His emotions would never be so readable otherwise. "Is something wrong?"

"There is something I wish to tell you." Shizuru said after a moment. "...Something I deemed ...unsuitable to bring up yesterday night."

"Go on then," her father replied quickly. He didn't seem to sense the nervousness in her voice.

Shizuru gripped the phone tightly, swallowing hard. "Is mom there as well?" she asked, imaging the _almost_ undetectable look of annoyance flash on his face.

"Amaya?" her father called out. A sigh followed and Shizuru could faintly hear footsteps in the back ground.

"What's the matter?" her mother asked, her voice barely loud enough to hear.

"Shizuru has something to tell us," he informed her. "...Go ahead Shizuru."

Shizuru could feel her heart pounding in her chest. The sensation was so forceful it was almost painful. She looked over at Natsuki.

Natsuki gave her a small smile, though the expression on Shizuru's face was a little hard to watch.

"I..." Shizuru took a slow breath, as if it would buy her time. There was no easy way to break the news to them. "I have... fallen for one of my classmates."

Natsuki blushed faintly, as she took a deep breath. It was strange, but to her it almost felt like they were telling Shizuru's parents in person.

There was momentary silence on the other end. Finally, her father spoke. "Look, Shizuru it's getting late."

"I'm serious, father," Shizuru replied quickly. "I have never felt this way about anyone before."

"She thinks she's in love." Shizuru heard her father tell her mother, his voice not in the least amused. His voice was amplified as he brought the phone back up to his ear. "I'm sure it's just a crush Shizuru. You'll be over it soon enough."

"I don't want to get over it," Shizuru said simply. She closed her eyes. "...I love her."

Her grip on Natsuki's hand tightened painfully. Natsuki knew the older girl was dangerously close to loosing her composure entirely.

There was a long pause. Too long. "Excuse me?" He asked finally, his practiced voice suddenly sharp.

"I am in love with a girl," Shizuru said, opening her eyes slowly. Her voice sounded surprisingly strong. There was another pause. Shizuru could hear her father's breath catch.

"There is a tea ceremony in three weeks time you will have to attend," he said as if nothing was wrong.

Shizuru bit her bottom lip, exhaling shakily. "Did you mishear me?" she asked, knowing full well he hadn't.

"I certainly hope so," he replied, his calm voice sounding menacing.

"Her name is..."

"That's enough Shizuru," he cut her off. His voice was laced with undertones of anger.

"Her name is Natsuki," Shizuru said firmly, struggling to keep her voice down.

"You cannot love another girl," her father replied raising his voice slightly. "It is simply unnatural."

"On the contrary father. It is the most natural thing I have ever felt in my life," Shizuru told him. She could picture the look of shock on her mother's face.

"Then you are mistaken," her father spat. "Do you have any idea how much this could affect your future if news of your delusions got out? How much it could affect me and your mother?"

Shizuru smiled bitterly. And there it was. Her parents had once again managed to make everything about them. But that was the way politics worked, wasn't it? "I'm sorry, but this is not directly related to you or mom."

"You are our daughter," he replied possessively. "Or has it been so many years since you lived with us that you've forgotten?"

"That's an interesting comment." Shizuru replied, her hands beginning to tremble. "I was under the impression you were glad to see me go." Though she desperately fought against it her eyes began to water.

There was silence on the other end.

"Let me." Her mother said quickly. Her voice was followed by the shuffling of the phone switching hands. "What are you doing Shizuru?" her mother asked. She sounded calm only in comparison to her father.

"I didn't choose to be gay mother," Shizuru replied, trying to stay on topic.

"You apologize to your father right now," her mother commanded. "You should know better then to go around saying something as serious as that."

Shizuru took another shaky breath. "I'm sorry you find it offensive, but I will not apologize for my feelings."

Natsuki saw the look of determination on Shizuru's face, and smiled softly. This was so hard for her, but she refused to give in.

"What is this?" Her mother raised her voice. "Some sort of plea for attention? Really Shizuru, I had expected more from you."

Shizuru's trembling increased, a mixture of fear and unquenchable anger. "If I wanted your attention I would have asked for it four years ago. I seem to recall it was then that you first began to ignore me."

"We gave you everything you wanted," her mother snarled. "Is this really how you plan to repay us?"

Shizuru laughed bitterly. "You have given me everything _except_ the one thing I truly wanted."

"Then what do you want?" her mother asked quickly. "If it will end this nonsense I will do my best to obtain it for you."

The first tears trailed down Shizuru's cheek. "Do you really think so little of me?" she asked quietly. "That I would give you an ultimatum to get something I desired!?" Shizuru's grip grew so tight she was sure the phone would break. "Why do you credit me with having so much power?! Haven't you realized it has only ever been you two who have had power over _me_?!" Shizuru knew her mother could tell she was crying. For the first time, she allowed herself to not care.

Her mother inhaled sharp, quick breaths. There was a long pause before she spoke quietly. "What is it that you want Shizuru?" Her voice barely made it through the phone speaker.

"I want to look you and dad in the eyes and see something other then fear." Shizuru replied simply, trying desperately to stop crying. "And I want you to be happy that I have fallen madly in love. And even though Natsuki is a girl, I want you to understand that gender _doesn't_ matter."

There was complete silence, and Shizuru knew her mother had lowered the phone. Shizuru waited desperately for a sign her mother was still there.

"I apologize." Her mother's quiet voice startled Shizuru. "I will have to call you back at a more appropriate time."

There was a small click as her mother hung up the phone.

Shizuru numbly lowered the phone from her ear. Natsuki took it from her gently, prying her hand off.

Shizuru looked up at her, barely able to make out the green in her eyes through her blurred vision.

"They didn't like my name?" Natsuki offered.

Shizuru couldn't stop herself from laughing as Natsuki pulled her into a tight embrace. Gently, Natsuki lay Shizuru down on the bed so they were facing each other. She stroked Shizuru's hair until she stopped trembling, watching a few last tears slide down Shizuru's cheek.

Natsuki used her thumb to brush a few of them away, smiling as she moved her head closer. She concentrated carefully, freezing a tear halfway down Shizuru's face. It gradually slowed down as it hardened, until finally coming to a complete stop. It stayed on Shizuru's cheek, seemingly suspended by an imaginary force. Natsuki leaned closer, gently blowing on Shizuru's face as she made the tear evaporate.

Shizuru smiled softly, bringing her hand up to stroke Natsuki's cheek. "Arigato," she whispered.

The simple gesture meant so much more to her than Natsuki would ever know.

* * *

"I'm back," Natsuki announced as she walked into her room. She took a step inside. Were her room mates asleep? Everything was pitch black.

"Surprise!" Mai and Chie yelled as Mai flicked on the lights.

Natsuki jumped back, reflexively landing in her defensive stance. Chie grinned, moving closer so her cellphone could get a better video.

"What are you doing?" Natsuki asked blinking at the small table set out in front of her.

"Take a look." Mai laughed, running over and flipping open the box on the table. Natsuki shot Nao a questioning look before walking over. Nao smirked, glancing at the clock on the wall.

Natsuki walked over, blinking a few times when she saw what was in the box. She honestly didn't know whether to hug her room mates or freeze them alive. It was a large cake, with the words 'Congratulations for being Gay' written in icing on the top. Natsuki gaped, looking from Chie to Mai with a shocked look on her face.

Nao couldn't take any more. She collapsed on her bed in a fit of laughter. This was too good.

"Do you like it?" Mai asked, a hopeful look on her face. "I baked it for you." She turned to Chie and grinned sheepishly. "The words were Chie's idea if you haven't guessed."

Chie smiled, nodding proudly. "Well, to be technical you've been gay for a while, but _now_ it's official."

Natsuki opened her mouth to say something, but there really were no words. She turned back to the cake, a grin forming on her face against her will.

"What do you think?" Mai asked, careful to stay out of Chie's filming path.

"Arigato guys." Natsuki laughed. Then she scowled at Nao who still hadn't stopped snickering. "I love it."

Chie beamed, popping her cell phone away with a snap of her fingers. Nao managed to collect herself and walked over to the small table.

"So, we can eat it _now,_ right?" Nao raised her eyebrows and turned to Mai.

Mai sighed. "Yes, Nao, you can eat it."

Nao grinned, bending over the cake. In less than a second Chie had a knife in hand to cut the cake. Nao turned to her and smirked. "Who needs a knife?" In one quick movement she extended her claws, using them to slice a piece cleanly off the edge.

"Ew." Mai said after recovering from the shock. Chie and Natsuki nodded wordlessly in agreement.

Natsuki remembered their last power op. The last thing Nao had stuck her claws into had been a person.

"Don't worry." Nao smirked. "I clean my fingernails."

"I'll get you a piece from the other end." Mai nodded as Chie handed her the knife.

Natsuki grinned, walking over to her bed and sitting down.

"So, are you going to tell us how it went?" Chie asked. "All we got from Mai was that you feel relieved." The charcoal haired girl waited anxiously for a response.

"It's... a really long story." Natsuki said finally. Everyone gave her an expectant look.

Mai's look made it clear at this rate she wouldn't get any cake.

Natsuki sighed. "I was going to tell my parents..." She hesitated. This was a little embarrassing. "But they kinda... um... saw us kiss."

Chie gasped, her cell phone back in her hand with a single thought.

"I'm not telling you with that thing in my face!" Natsuki glared. Chie went a little pale as she teleported her cellphone to safety.

"So, you decided kissing her in front of your parents would be the best way to ease them into the idea?" Mai asked, eyebrows raised.

"You're insane Kuga." Nao snickered.

"What?" Natsuki scowled. "They were spying on us and they saw it happen. It serves them right you know."

"That must have been quite an eyeful." Chie grinned, winking at Natsuki.

Natsuki's face flushed as she glared. "Do I get my cake now?" she asked Mai, reaching for the plate expectantly.

"Promise me you won't put mayo on it," Mai replied, pulling out of reach to be on the safe side.

"I promise," Natsuki laughed, getting up and taking the cake. She cautiously took a small bite. She grinned, making Mai beam. "It's good."

"Arigato." Mai replied, walking over to her own bed.

"You're famous you know." Chie broke the silence. "Well, _more_ famous now."

Natsuki put her fork down. "What are people saying?"

"Well..." Chie quickly shoved another mouthful of cake into her mouth. Natsuki waited impatiently for her to swallow. "All the straight guys think it's hot. No surprise there. I hear they're bringing in blood transfusions for the ones with really bad nosebleeds." Chie laughed. "The girls are slightly more complicated. There are the straight girls, the gay girls, and then the fan girls. _They_ just change on or off depending on how close Fujino-san is."

Natsuki blinked, raising her eyebrows.

"Anyway, Fujino-san's so popular, it puts things in a very interesting perspective. The homophobic people can't say anything without getting mobbed by fans, so no one really says anything horrible. Plus, it helps that Fujino-san flirted with girls all the time. So no one's really shocked by all of this. As for the girls... some of them think this means they have a chance with her, some of them hate you for taking her away from them, and some of them don't really care at all. So, all in all, it helps to be gay with the most popular girl in school."

Natsuki gaped a little, nodding after a moment. "Um... right?"

"I know at least one of them who wants to skin you alive," Nao offered.

Chie sighed. "Tomoe's been asking a lot of questions."

Natsuki's fists clenched involuntarily at the mention of her name.

"She thinks you stole Shizuru right out from under her," Chie explained, wincing slightly. "So I don't know how things are going to go tommorow with her."

"Natsuki, you can't get into another fight." Mai jumped in. "Fujino-san won't be able to bail you out this time. Especially now that you're dating her. Everyone's going to be watching to make sure she treats you like everyone else."

"I'm not going to start something." Natsuki replied firmly. She paused for a moment, unclenching her fists.

...But if she wanted to... that was another matter entirely.

* * *

**A/N: But at least there's a lead in to the Tomoe issues! I get some points for that... right? :D Thanks for reading!!! Please review!!! :D**

**New Story Ideas to vote on:**

So, once again.. here are my two new ideas. I do want to use both of them eventually, but which ever one gets more votes I'll write first. I don't really feel comfortable having more than one story going on at a time. I would really appreciate it if you could take the time to read the summaries and vote! :D If you really feel strongly about one of them or have any suggestions feel free to PM me! :D Thanks for your support!!!,

~Sarah~

**1) Back to Back**

Natsuki Kruger and Shizuru Viola are both top ranking operatives of the Garderobe Elite, a powerful secret services police force. When Natsuki gets transferred to Shizuru's district the two girls meet for the first time. Sparks fly when the girls are forced to partner against both of their wills for the sake of the force. Neither girl wants help from the other, and their competitive natures make it seemingly impossible to get along during missions and off duty.

Somewhere along the line they begin to fall for each other, but the tension between them makes it impossible to admit. Their growing attraction puts them in more and more danger as they break the number one rule of pulling off a successful mission: emotional detachment.

Lol, how dramatic... :D Anyway, this is a little like what a FANG sequel would be like, with Shizuru and Natsuki as partners. They'll be going on missions, and catching axe murders (okay maybe not, but you get the point) lol, basically like a series of more dramatic power ops (cause you all know how much I like writing action :D ). Honestly though, I like this version better, mostly because of the interesting chemistry I imagine the two operatives having... plus I get to start all over again with the Shiznat. :D

**2) Heaven on Earth**

When Natsuki Kuga dies as a 17 year old hero she instantly earns a position as a guardian in Heaven. Before she's fully aware what's going on she's given the prestigious title and assigned a partner. Shizuru Fujino, 18 years old when she died, assumes the position. Together, the two guardians are given assignments to carry out on earth... assignments that for some mortals literally do mean life or death (...just probably not both at the same time :D ). While they might not always know why they've been assigned certain tasks, together they periodically return to Earth to carry out the tasks they've been given.

So, Shizuru and Natsuki are going to get some pretty obscure assignments they have no clue how to pull off. :D They're going to have a few special abilities, but they'll mostly have to rely on their own means to complete tasks. Unfortunately, when they start a mission they're stuck on earth until they complete their task or a higher ranking guardian comes to get them. Lol, so they have to do their best to manage things without getting caught.

Of course this will be a Shiznat fiction as well. Just with completely _literal_ immortal love, lol. :D (Oh, this is a random pet peeve of mine... thought I'd share... whenever I go to type 'Shiznat' and press the space bar it always automatically replaces it with 'Shiatsu' Lol, it takes me three tries to get it to stick. But honestly people, are the words even remotely similar?!) Anyway... now that I've vented lol... that pretty much sums up this story idea. :D

Lol, oh and if I do wind up writing this one first... let's try_ not_ to use the acronym of the title to save time. :D

* * *

Thanks for reading them, please let me know which one you like more! :D


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: So, here's the second last chapter...**

**Huge thanks goes out to everyone who voted on which story idea they liked better and reviewed!!! *sends replicas of Natsuki's cake to each of you* :D I really appreciate it!**

**This chapter guest stars Mashiro and Fumi. Lol, they were in chapter one, but Mashiro's never been the most involved principal. :D**

**Thanks for reading!!! I hope you like it!**

* * *

**Chapter # 20: Shattered Ice  
**

Natsuki woke up Monday morning feeling incredibly well rested. She had no trouble falling asleep, and almost no trouble letting Mai get her up. She felt surprisingly peaceful considering it was a Monday morning. She quickly got dressed, walking into the kitchen after coming her hair.

"I'm telling you, you don't even qualify," Chie argued, trying to sound calm. The charcoal haired girl stepped casually behind the table to put a little more distance between her and Nao.

Natsuki stopped in the doorway, looking back and forth between her two room mates. Chie was cradling the last of the cake to her chest protectively, refusing to back down. Nao's eyes narrowed as her claws slowly slid open.

"Um... good morning?" Natsuki offered, raising her eyebrows. "Is something wrong?"

"Nao wants the last of the cake." Chie replied, her slightly widened eyes never leaving Nao's claws. "But_ I_ got to it first."

"She ate more of it last night Kuga." Nao scowled. "Or didn't you see her teleporting pieces when no one was looking?"

Natsuki grinned, crossing her arms as she turned to Chie.

"What?" Chie replied sheepishly. "The cake was _my_ idea."

"Right." Natsuki smirked.

Mai yawned, walking into the kitchen. The red headed girl paused, closing her mouth quickly when she saw the scene laid out before her. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this," she said after a moment. She glanced down at the cake in Chie's hands and sighed. "Never mind, I take it back."

"She's not even gay!" Chie cried out in exasperation. "Unless I've been _seriously_ missing something the past two years, she doesn't exactly qualify to eat any of this." Chie turned back to Nao with a satisfied look on her face. "You should be grateful you got what you did."

Nao gasped in mock surprise. "Are you accusing me of being straight?"

Natsuki grinned, rolling her eyes. "Don't you think we're all forgetting who's cake this actually is?" she asked, her grin widening when she regarded the look on both girls' faces. Natsuki calmly walked over to Chie and pried the plate from her hands, the look on her face daring Chie not to let go.

"She has a point." Mai nodded. "It _is_ her cake."

"She didn't even want it a minute ago," Nao replied, furiously waving her claws in the air.

"That's not _entirely_ true." Natsuki smirked. "Now I just want it _more_, that's all." She looked from Chie to Nao, laughing at the looks on their faces. She glanced at the clock. If she wanted to spend any time with Shizuru before school they would have to leave soon. She sighed, walking around to the front of the table. "Look, you guys can just split it okay? That way everything is fair, and no one gets impaled." Natsuki turned to Nao to emphasize the last part.

"I'll agree to the first half." Nao grinned, claws still extended.

Mai sighed, shaking her head. She walked over to the drawer and grabbed a knife. She quickly returned to the table to cut the piece evenly in half.

Chie and Nao walked over, eying each other suspiciously. Chie stepped back a little when Nao extended her claws once more, ignoring the smirk of satisfaction on the red head's face. Just as Nao reached for her piece Chie teleported it into her hands, taking a bite before anyone could react.

Nao raised her eyebrows as she grabbed the other piece. Chie grinned, walking into the bedroom.

"Can we go now?" Natsuki sighed.

"Hopefully." Mai nodded.

When they finally made it to the cafeteria there were still thirty minutes until the start of school. Natsuki glanced eagerly over at Shizuru's table as she walked in.

"H..hello Kuga-sama."

Natsuki turned to the small girl who spoke, unable to stop herself from raising her eyebrows. "Uh.. h..hello?" Natsuki replied, watching the girl walk past. The navy haired girl turned to Chie, a look of utter confusion on her face. "Do I know her?" She asked, turning once more to glance over at the girl.

Chie shrugged. "Probably not. But she, along with the entire school, now knows you."

Natsuki turned to face the rest of the cafeteria, glaring when she saw at least half the people staring back at her.

Shizuru looked up as the cafeteria went unusually silent. She turned towards the door, a small smile on her face when she saw Natsuki. The poor girl looked a little upset she was getting so much attention. There was a momentary pause as many of the cafeteria's occupants turned their attention to Shizuru, wondering how their kaichou was reacting to the younger girl's entrance. Shizuru got up, excusing herself from her table. She calmly walked towards the entrance as if she really hadn't noticed the whole room was staring at her.

Natsuki's attention shifted from the curious looks she was getting to Shizuru as she walked towards her. Shizuru smiled warmly at her, her red eyes clearly visible from across the cafeteria. Natsuki shot one last glare at the table to her right before walking to meet Shizuru half way.

"Good morning Natsuki." Shizuru said calmly, stopping directly in front of the younger girl.

"Shizuru..." Natsuki started, eyes shifting to the table behind the brown haired girl. "Do you know the entire school is staring at us?"

Shizuru's smile widened. "Ara, of course." Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "We may as well give them something to watch." She leaned in closer, giving Natsuki a gentle kiss on the cheek.

The room went completely silent and Natsuki's face flushed a little.

"Would you sit with me?" Shizuru asked, an unconcealed look of hope on her face.

Natsuki smiled, but hesitated for a moment. She glanced over to the food tables where her friends were 'discreetly' watching her. She didn't want to abandon her friends.

"Your friends are, of course, welcome as well," Shizuru said quickly, seeing the look. She met Natsuki's eyes, anxious to hear her answer.

Natsuki nodded, grinning. "In that case, I'd love to."

Shizuru laughed. "Arigato."

"I'm just going to go grab some food." Natsuki gestured towards the table.

"Of course." Shizuru smiled, meeting her eyes quickly once more before walking back over to her table.

Natsuki shot the boy who was holding his nose a warning glance before walking off towards her friends.

Shizuru sat down at her table, smoothing her skirt out gracefully. Reito raised his eyebrows, a small smile on his face. Haruka scowled at Shizuru from across the table.

"I do hope it's alright that I asked Natsuki and her friends to join us." Shizuru said nonchalantly after a moment. She turned her attention back to her salad.

"You what!?" Haruka choked on her food.

Shizuru calmly lifted her head to glance in her direction. "I simply thought we could use some company."

"Bubzuke!" Haruka exclaimed.

"Ara Haruka-san, are you implying you don't want to be seen sitting with grade ten students?" Shizuru lifted an eyebrow for effect. "I would have thought someone who stood so strongly for equality would have thought it was a wonderful idea." The corners of her mouth turned up in a small smile as Haruka's face turned red with anger.

"I think it's a great idea." Reito pitched in, watching as Mai made her way over to their table.

"I bet you do," Haruka replied, teeth clenched. Yukino sighed, shifting closer to Haruka so there would be enough room.

"Is it okay if I sit here?" Mai asked Reito, a smile playing across her face.

"I would be honored," Reito replied, offering his hand to help Mai sit down. Mai blushed, grinning. Chie followed behind Mai, smiling at everyone before sitting down beside her.

Haruka twitched noticeably but didn't say anything.

Natsuki paused, looking over the food. She quickly spooned some more eggs onto her plate before her gaze fell on the hash browns to the side. She put one on her plate and started to turn. A small grin crossed her face as she turned and reached out for another. _Shizuru's __going to kill me._

Suddenly, Natsuki yanked her hand back as blinding pain shot through it. She stifled a gasp, quickly slamming down her plate down and turning around. Her hand trembled, the burning pain slowly making it's way up her forearm.

Her eyes scanned the cafeteria, coming to a stop at the table beside her. Natsuki reflexively clenched her fists in anger, almost crying out in her attempt to move her right hand. Tomoe made no move towards her. The usual smirk on her face was replaced with a small sneer.

Natsuki used all of her restraint to stop herself from charging at the teal haired girl. She clenched her teeth tightly together, refusing to let the pain she was feeling show. Tomoe met her gaze evenly, walking slowly towards her.

Natsuki walked towards her at a similar pace, stopping when there was only a couple feet separating them. Ice slowly formed over her fists, as she stared into the other girl's eyes. The fury that shone in them was a match only to her own.

"You know I'd almost decided to let things go." Tomoe spoke, her quiet tone making her sound even more menacing. "But _this_..." Her eyes broke off the stare to glance towards Shizuru's table. "This time you have taken things one _massive_ step too far."

Natsuki's eyes flickered towards Shizuru before finding Tomoe's once more. The pain in her arm was growing more insistent. It crept upwards towards her shoulder, the throbbing sensation hitting Natsuki in almost unbearable waves.

"What does this have to do with Shizuru?" Natsuki snarled. Her voice came across strong though it took all of her concentration to maintain her tone.

"I'm not some deluded baka." Tomoe sneered. "I am fully aware Shizuru doesn't feel the same way for me that I do for her. But for you to get close to her, to toy with her emotions just so I can't have her..." She trailed off, the fire in her eyes blazing uncontrollably.

Natsuki's eyes widened, not from the pain that suddenly doubled in magnitude, but out of shock. "What?" she whispered, the word barely coming out. The ice on her right hand turned to steam as she grabbed her shoulder in an effort to stop the searing pain from traveling up her neck. "What the hell are you talking about!?" She demanded, struggling to remain upright. "Shizuru has nothing to do with this."

"You say her name one more time," Tomoe spat. "And you will feel more pain then you ever thought possible."

Natsuki doubled over, almost positive she had just been stabbed in the side. Slowly, she forced herself to stand up straighter, her vision going black.

Shizuru smiled to herself when she saw Reito blush faintly. The red headed girl clearly had quite an effect on him. She glanced over towards the food tables. _What's taking Natsuki so long? _Shizuru's eyes scanned the row of tables, stopping suddenly when she spotted Natsuki. Even as far away as she was, she could tell the younger girl was doubled over in pain.

Mai glanced up quickly, gripping her fork tightly as a sudden rush of anger took over. She looked around startled when she found Shizuru to be the cause of the almost unbearable emotion. Shizuru got up before anyone could react, the calm look on her face faltering as she quickly made her way over to Natsuki. Tomoe had been warned.

* * *

Mashiro was wheeled carefully down the hallway. She smiled pleasantly to all the students who stared at her. The principal's office was in a separate building, so it was rare to see her inside of the school at all. She was just glad the meeting was over. She smiled to herself in recollection. The young powers teacher seemed especially enthusiastic about needing a higher budget. From the stories Mashiro had heard about the power op sessions, she could see why.

Fumi pushed her through the open doors and into the forum. She stopped only when Mashiro slowly raised her hand, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"Is something wrong?" Fumi asked, following the lavender haired woman's gaze to the closed cafeteria door.

Mashiro closed her eyes, scanning through the thoughts of the students inside. "We have a problem to sort out," she said after a moment. Fumi wordlessly wheeled her over to the door, smiling to a student who held it open for her.

"Arigato." Mashiro said quietly, her gaze drifting over to the tables of food.

* * *

Natsuki blinked slowly, inhaling sharply in an attempt to clear her vision. She didn't care why Tomoe was doing this. Tomoe _wasn't_ getting out of this unscathed. Natsuki closed her eyes, letting all her thoughts melt into one as her anger drove her forward.

Tomoe lost concentration, looking down in shock as her body was slowly coated in ice. She lifted her arms up trying to flex her fingers, but the ice was too thick. She winced as the cold overtook her completely, ice forming around her waist, her neck, spreading finally to her face.

Natsuki gasped for air when the pain disappeared. The dull ache that remained left her shaking from exertion, but it was nothing compared to what it had been. She waited for her vision to return to normal, watching as the ice around Tomoe cracked with her frantic movements. Natsuki locked eyes with the girl, the entire cafeteria fading away as she spun and rammed her right foot into the teal haired girl's stomach with breathtaking force.

There was a starling crack as the ice covering her body shattered on impact. Tomoe was thrown backwards, the shards of ice flying through the air the last thing she saw before she hit the ground. She lay on the ground, gasping for the air that had been forced out of her lungs.

Natsuki stayed where she was, the fragments of ice hitting the floor by her feet. Tomoe winced, trying to get up. Slowly she forced herself off of the ground, her fury magnifying the extent of her power.

Natsuki gasped when a wave of unimaginable pain crashed into her. She struggled to remain standing, ice forming quickly on her left fist.

"Enough!" Shizuru yelled, shoving aside a student who got into her way. She sprinted the last few steps as both Tomoe and Natsuki turned to face her. Natsuki's eyes met hers.

Shizuru could see she was in terrible pain. Tomoe still hadn't stopped. She closed the distance between her and the teal haired girl, her anger taking over her. She knew Natsuki hadn't started the fight and she'd warned Tomoe there would be _serious_ consequences. She raised her open hand in one fluid movement, meeting Tomoe's eyes before pulling her hand back.

"Fujino-san." A stern voice stopped Shizuru in her path. She turned, startled to see the principal no more then five feet away from her.

Mashiro locked eyes with the younger girl as she lowered her hand, a hint of a smile on her face. She had never seen the kaichou loose control before. After glimpsing the thoughts running through the brown haired girl's mind she hid a smile. So _love_ was the one thing that could break the council president's composure.

"I was going to intervene, but I'm glad to see the student council president has already arrived at the scene. I commend your willingness to fulfill your duties." Mashiro nodded to Shizuru, seeing the younger girl quickly hid her surprise. Their eyes met and Mashiro could see Shizuru's confusion.

Shizuru quickly regained a calm appearance. No one would know how quickly her heart was pounding. She couldn't believe how close she'd come to slapping Tomoe, especially in front of so many students. She turned back to Natsuki, watching the younger girl tremble with the aftereffects of Tomoe's power and felt a familiar surge of anger. Part of her wished she hadn't been interrupted. She glanced back at the Principal, well aware the small woman knew her true intentions.

"Nevertheless, I am already here. Student discipline is as much _my_ responsibility," Mashiro said after a moment. "Would you two follow me please?" She asked Natsuki and Tomoe. "Perhaps, Fujino-san, you would accompany us as well."

Shizuru nodded. "Of course." She was more then willing to receive the blame for what she had almost done. She was just grateful the principal, for some reason, was giving her a chance to leave gracefully. _Arigato. _She thought, knowing Mashiro would pick it up.

Mashiro's smile widened for a fraction of a second, undetectable to most. She nodded her head slightly before glancing up at Fumi. Fumi, understanding her intentions, began to roll her wheelchair out.

Natsuki turned to Shizuru, still finding it hard to believe what had just happened. Had Shizuru really been about to slap Tomoe for her sake? Shizuru smiled slightly, meeting her eyes. Natsuki smiled back, the pain momentarily forgotten.

All three girls followed behind the principal, well aware the entire cafeteria was watching them with shocked expressions.

Natsuki turned back to Tomoe as if threatening her to try to use her power once more. Tomoe's face was flushed, whether from anger or embarrassment Natsuki didn't know. _That's what happens when you attack people. _Natsuki thought furiously. It took so much effort not to punch the girl squarely in the face.

Shizuru gaze Natsuki a look as if somehow sensing her anger. Natsuki took a shaky breath as she walked out through the cafeteria doors. She held back only because she knew Shizuru wanted her too.

They walked through the forum and out onto the field. Natsuki knew they were headed to the principal's office. Slowly, they walked to the far building and into Mashiro's office.

Natsuki glanced around at the dark walls, a feeling of nervousness hitting her. Her arm was still throbbing and she knew the principal wouldn't let her off even close to as easily as Shizuru had. After her parents had been so accepting... this really wasn't how she wanted to show her appreciation.

"Please, come in," Mashiro said softly as she was wheeled over to her desk. Natsuki exchanged glances with Shizuru as they stepped into the room. She ignored the glare she was receiving from Tomoe, steadying her breathing in an attempt to remain calm.

"Would someone care to tell me what caused this incident to occur?" Mashiro asked, nodding her thanks to Fumi.

Natsuki glared, turning to Tomoe with an expectant look on her face. _Good question._

Mashiro scanned each student individually, getting enough information to piece together the story on her own. "I see this isn't a normal case of high school bullying," she said after a moment. "I think it would be wise to let you three discuss what has taken place _before_ answering to me. Feel free to use the next room. Once you have sorted out the cause and assigned correct blame you may return. Do you understand?" she asked, taking time to look at all three of them in turn.

Shizuru nodded reluctantly. She didn't want Tomoe anywhere near Natsuki.

"Do your best to remain calm. Should another fight break out, you will not receive a second chance to explain," the lavander haired woman warned.

The three girls turned to walk out of the room.

"Fujino-san?" Mashiro called out, noticing the way Natsuki was shaking. "I think both Kuga-san and Marguerite-san will need some help to aid concentration. They are both in quite a lot of pain." She turned to Tomoe and judged the way she was standing. "You have no need to worry, your rib is only badly bruised."

Tomoe blushed furiously, not wanting to admit she had been worried. Although she would never admit it, Natsuki's strength amazed her.

Shizuru tilted Natsuki's face towards her first. "May I?" She asked softly.

Natsuki didn't want to admit the pain was almost too much to bear, but she nodded anyway.

"The pain has now stopped entirely." Shizuru whispered, her eyes finding Natsuki's. Her stomach clenched. She hadn't wanted to ever use her power on Natsuki again.

Natsuki breathed a sigh of relief, when the pain instantly disappeared She smiled softly, relaying her thanks.

Shizuru turned to Tomoe, her eyes meeting the younger girl's forcefully. "You're in no pain," she said quickly, anger hitting her when she saw the teal haired girl blush. She felt no guilt when the thought crossed her mind not to use her power at all. Tomoe had, after all, started the fight. She didn't have to ask Natsuki to know that was true. Nevertheless, she used her power as instructed. She turned and walked out of the room, Natsuki and Tomoe following silently behind her. She waited for them on the other side, closing the door behind them.

Natsuki turned to Tomoe furiously, but didn't say anything. Tomoe stared down at the ground.

"I was not there long enough to know what happened." Shizuru said after a moment. Her eyes flashed dangerously when they met Tomoe's. She took a slow breath, knowing it was her job as president to remain objective. She had to admit to herself, remaining objective seemed nothing less than impossible at that point. "You both know you cannot hide the truth from me or Kazahana-san."

Tomoe nodded, her eyes never leaving the floor. "I..I started it."

Natsuki smirked, knowing Tomoe was only admitting it because she couldn't lie to a telepath.

"Natsuki did nothing to goad you into attacking?" Shizuru asked, waiting anxiously for the answer. It was possible Natsuki had said something to feed her temper, not that that in any way excused her behavior.

"No!" Natsuki replied defensively. "I was getting breakfast. I didn't even see her until she attacked me."

Shizuru locked eyes with Natsuki, showing the younger girl she believed her. She turned to Tome after a moment. "Is that true?"

Tomoe hesitated. She could never tell Shizuru _she_ was the reason she'd attacked Natsuki. Shizuru hated her enough as it was. Her chest tightened painfully as she felt a pang of anger. This was _all_ Natsuki's fault. If she hadn't won Shizuru over, Shizuru would still at least talk to her. She'd made her seem like a complete fool, and Shizuru had gone out of her way to avoid her ever since. And now, Natsuki had pushed her so far she had entirely lost control a second time. Shizuru would surely never forgive her now. She looked down at the floor once more, a numb feeling taking over as she nodded. "It's true."

* * *

Mashiro opened her eyes, glancing over at Fumi. "It seems we have a motive." She sighed, breaking off her connection to the teal haired girl's thoughts.

Fumi gave her a questioning look.

"Marguerite-san's rash personality has turned her desire into obsession." She explained, unable to suppress the exasperation in her voice. "It never ceases to amaze me how far teenagers will go."

Fumi nodded in agreement, turning back to the door.

"And keep in mind this is not her first offense," Mashiro said after a moment. "Her power is unstable, extremely dangerous in the hands of someone so ruled by their emotions."

"Are you thinking of having her power stripped?" Fumi asked quietly. The procedure, performed through use of a high ranking FANG member's power, had only been used twice before.

Mashiro shook her head after a moment. "I don't believe that would be wise. We both know how influential her parents have proven to be. Besides," She let Tomoe's thoughts once again sound inside her mind. "I believe with correct guidance we can come to expect much from Marguerite-san." She turned to meet the pink haired woman's eyes, her eyes sparkling. "Would you confirm this for me?"

Fumi bowed, her eyes slowly drifting closed. She took a deep breath as she allowed her consciousness to pull her into the future. Images swirled around in her mind, using her power still an overwhelming experience for her after all these years. She concentrated on Tomoe, seeking her answer.

Mashiro turned to window as rain began to lightly fall down outside. She took a slow sip of her tea before turning back to the pink haired woman.

Fumi opened her eyes slowly. "It would seem you are correct," she said finally.

* * *

"You must have _some_ explanation for your actions," Shizuru said after a moment, the angry tone in her voice making Tomoe wince.

"I..." Tomoe's fists clenched. "I was getting her back for making me fall." It had certainly played a part, but it definitely wasn't the entire truth. Natsuki knew very well what she felt for Shizuru, and getting close to Shizuru was Natsuki's way of taunting her.

"Yeah," Natsuki glared. "Because you attacked me."

Tomoe glared back at Natsuki until Shizuru cleared her throat. "Do you accept full responsibility for what happened?" Shizuru asked. She stared at Tomoe expectantly. If Tomoe said yes, Natsuki had a chance of getting out of this without serious punishment.

Tomoe turned to Natsuki. "Yes," she sneered, wanting desperately to relay her complete hatred for the navy haired girl.

Natsuki gave her a satisfied smile. "Well then, let's go back in."

Shizuru nodded, walking over and knocking gently on the door.

"I wish to speak to you alone Fujino-san." Mashiro called out.

Shizuru turned back to Natsuki, giving her a reassuring smile before entering the office. She took a few steps into the room before stopping.

Mashiro turned to face her, scanning her thoughts effortlessly.

Shizuru met her gaze evenly, fully prepared to take responsibility for her attempt to injure Tomoe.

"On the contrary," Mashiro smiled, reading her thoughts. "You committed no crime and as such cannot be punished."

Shizuru hesitated, unsure what the principal was saying. "You are aware of my intent Kazahana-san. Surely that alone should be just as punishable."

"That's very honorable of you." Mashiro smiled, admiring the younger girl's honestly. "Fortunately, few others share my level of awareness. This gives me a certain freedom."

"A..arigato." Shizuru replied. She didn't know why the principal was being so kind. She should be punished for allowing her anger to control her to such an extent. She wanted desperately to ask why she was being given a second chance, but she restrained herself.

Mashiro smiled once more. "It is natural to be curious," she said after a moment. "And you should know, Fujino-san, you do not need words to ask me a question."

Shizuru concealed a faint blush, a small smile on her face.

Mashiro watched her reaction, a faintly amused look on her face. "Very few people have a power that rivals your own. Many, if given your gift, would be quite easily corrupted." She paused. "...In all your time here I have never once seen you abuse or flaunt the power you have inherited. You act with incredible restraint, and it is for that reason you have earned my respect."

Shizuru blushed, incredibly honored to receive such a compliment.

"On a more personal note, I know how hard it is to have a power that can make some people uncomfortable," Mashiro said finally. She knew it was something the younger girl struggled with, and she couldn't help but be brought back to her own high school years.

Shizuru met her gaze, nodding in realization. Telepaths naturally made many people nervous. Her face flushed a darker shade of red.

"There is no need to be embarrassed," Mashiro smiled warmly. "If I weren't telepathic I would have had no idea it was one of your concerns." The brown haired girl was incredibly talented at concealing her emotions. "Now, if you would be so kind to send Marguerite-san inside?"

Shizuru nodded, relaying her thanks with a small smile. She turned, walking back to the door.

* * *

Natsuki and Tomoe glared at each other when Shizuru entered Mashiro's office. They both knew the other wouldn't dare use their power, but that didn't stop the intense anger they felt.

"In the cafeteria," Natsuki spoke after a moment. "...You said something about me and Shizuru."

"It doesn't matter." Tomoe replied, teeth clenched. "Though I think you already know _perfectly_ well what I meant."

"Are you _really_ so self centered that you think I'm dating Shizuru to get back at you?" Natsuki demanded, genuinely shocked. "The way I feel about Shizuru has nothing to do with you."

Tomoe hesitated, seeing the look of surprise on the navy haired girl's face. "Even if that's true," Tomoe replied finally. "The thought of someone like you with her makes me _sick._"

Natsuki gaped, her fists clenching. "What the hell is your problem!? I never did _anything_ to you!"

"You're the reason why she won't talk to me anymore!" Tomoe glared, lowing her voice so no one in the next room would hear. "And _that_ is unforgivable."

"You attacked me, not the other way around," Natsuki replied furiously. "Are you really trying to blame me for all of this?!"

Tomoe faltered, her anger giving way to fear. "You're going to tell her, aren't you?"

Natsuki hesitated, seeing the sudden change in the girl's behavior. Part of her wanted to say yes, the answer she knew Tomoe was terrified to hear. The other part of her almost felt sorry for the teal haired girl. Why did Shizuru mean so much to her? "...No," Natsuki said finally. "I'm not going to tell her."

Tomoe looked up quickly, confusion evident on her face. Natsuki met her gaze evenly.

The door opened and both girls quickly turned towards it. Shizuru walked out, closing the door softly behind her. "Marguerite-san, you have been asked to go in."

Tomoe nodded, going pale as she walked slowly towards the door. She turned back to Natsuki, a questioning look on her face before walking into the room.

Natsuki turned to Shizuru, taking a deep breath. Shizuru smiled, walking over to the younger girl.

"You didn't get in trouble because of me, right?" Natsuki asked nervously. She met Shizuru's gaze, seeing the amused look on her face.

"No." Shizuru replied, the corners of her mouth turning up in a smile. "What makes you think I would have gotten in trouble?"

"Cause... Shizuru, you almost slapped her." Natsuki grinned, still not quite believing it herself.

Shizuru smiled, taking a step closer to Natsuki. "Ara, you must be mistaken Natsuki. Why would I ever do such a thing?"

Natsuki smirked. "Who else is going to eat breakfast with you?"

Shizuru laughed, taking Natsuki's hands in her own. The expression on her face turned serious, as she played with Natsuki's hands. "You know I can't stand to see you in pain," she whispered.

"Arigato." Natsuki said softly, using Shizuru's hands to pull the brown haired girl closer. Shizuru smiled, moving by herself the rest of the way. She titled her head down, her lips finding Natsuki's easily.

Natsuki pulled her in closer, untangling their hands so she could wrap her arms around Shizuru's neck. Shizuru's hands slid down to Natsuki's waist as the kiss deepened instinctively.

There was a loud growl. Shizuru pulled away, startled. Natsuki blushed furiously, looking down at her stomach.

Shizuru, unable to control herself, burst out laughing. Natsuki grinned sheepishly.

"S..Shizuru! It's not my fault!" Natsuki laughed, trying her best to look offended. "I never got to eat, remember!?"

Shizuru smiled, nodding "I understand Natsuki, don't worry."

"Good," Natsuki replied, her face still a little flushed.

"Being around me simply makes you ravenous, " Shizuru replied nonchalantly.

"Shizuru!" Natsuki laughed.

Their smiles faded quickly when the door opened. Natsuki turned to face Tomoe, feeling the panic return to her as the girl closed the door behind her.

"...I've been suspended for three days." Tomoe said after a moment. There was no way she was about to tell Natsuki about the sessions she would have to attend with the school's councilor, but Natsuki would find out about her suspension anyway. She took a deep breath, not sure if she should ease the blue haired girl's mind. Finally, she made up her mind, unsure why she felt the need to speak. "...You're not in trouble." There was another long pause, as her face flushed slightly. "...I..it was self defense," she finished, the truth behind the words hitting her painfully.

Natsuki felt relief flood through her as she looked at the teal haired girl curiously. Tomoe wordlessly walked out the door and into the rain.

Shizuru watched her leave, startled by her out of character behavior.

"I guess it's my turn then." Natsuki said after a moment. She smiled at Shizuru once more before walking into the next room. She walked over to the lavender haired woman silently.

"I see you've been informed already," Mashiro started. "Because you did nothing to initiate the attack you cannot be blamed for retaliation."

Natsuki smiled, grateful Tomoe hadn't just been getting her hopes up.

"That being said, I would ask that you refrain from contact with Marguerite-san," Mashiro said after watching the news sink in. She considered it for a moment. "I don't think she'll give you any more trouble."

Natsuki nodded. For some reason she believed her.

"Please do your best to stay out of trouble." Mashiro smiled faintly. "You do seem to attract it quite well."

Natsuki grinned. "I'll try."

"You may go." Mashiro smiled mischievously. "Class has already started, but if you hurry you may be able to get to the cafeteria before the food is cleared away. You wouldn't want your stomach to growl during the middle of a lesson."

Natsuki blushed furiously. Had she read their thoughts all the way from the other room? "A..arigato." She stuttered, quickly walking out of the room.

Mashiro suppressed a laugh before turning back to Fumi. The pink haired woman raised her eyebrows appraisingly.

* * *

"How did it go?" Shizuru asked, walking over to the door when Natsuki came out.

"Tomoe was right." Natsuki grinned, then blushed once more. "She um... said I could get something to eat before going to class."

Shizuru raised her eyebrows, blushing faintly herself. "Ara." She knew from the look on Natsuki's face she hadn't exactly asked the principal for permission.

"Yeah." Natsuki smiled sheepishly. "What do you say we get out of here?"

Shizuru laughed, turning to the main doors. "I'm afraid we'll get wet."

Natsuki walked over to the doors, watching the rain pour down. She turned back to Shizuru, scowling as she took her hand. "You don't have any faith," she informed the older girl. Before Shizuru could react, Natsuki pulled her through the doorway.

Shizuru couldn't help but wince, anticipating the feel of the cold rain on her skin. She looked up, startled when the sensation never came. She grinned, turning back to Natsuki as elegant white snowflakes drifted down beside her.

"Is that better?" Natsuki smirked, seeing the surprised look on her face. She started walking, the rain in front of her turning to snow as it fell.

Shizuru smiled, jogging to catch up. She grabbed Natsuki by the waist, pulling her in closely. "It's perfect," she replied, tilting the younger girl's face up with her hand. She smiled softly, pressing her lips against Natsuki's as the snow continued to fall lightly around them.

Natsuki deepened the kiss passionately, pulling Shizuru even closer. Shizuru gripped the back of Natsuki's jacket tightly, her heart pounding.

Natsuki felt her face flush as she did the same. She pulled away only when she felt something small impact her head. She looked up, wincing as tiny pieces of ice reigned down on them out of nowhere.

"Natsuki!" Shizuru laughed, covering her head in an attempt not to get hit.

Natsuki blushed furiously, realizing she was unintentionally the cause. "It's your fault!" She grinned, grabbing Shizuru's hand once more.

Shizuru smiled when Natsuki took her hand. The hail was still just as persistent.

"Come on!" Natsuki yelled, starting to run.

Shizuru laughed, her grip tightening as she ran beside the navy haired girl towards the school. They sprinted to the overhang by the forum doors, sighing in relief when they stopped underneath.

"At least we didn't get wet?" Natsuki offered, making Shizuru laugh. Natsuki grinned, leaning in to kiss Shizuru once more. "Sit with me?" she asked, a hopeful look on her face.

Shizuru grinned, nodding as her eyes met Natsuki's.

"I would love to," she replied.

* * *

Mashiro laughed, watching the display from her window. They certainly were... enthusiastic. Even Fumi couldn't suppress a smile when she saw them start to make a run for it.

"And what about them?" Mashiro asked thoughtfully, turning to Fumi.

"Those two?" The pink haired woman asked, her glimpse into the future still fresh in her mind.

Mashiro nodded, waiting for an answer.

Fumi met her gaze, smiling in recollection. "...They will be one of the best pairings FANG will ever see."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading!!! Please review! :D**

**I really hope you liked it. Chapter 21 will be the epilogue. I'm actually pretty excited to write it. Unfortunately, it may take three days to post it since I'm kind of time pressed this weekend. Thanks once again! :D**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: And here it is... the last chapter of FANG. Lol, I have to admit it's very bitter sweet for me to see this story end. I feel oddly emotional writing this, :D I'm torn between jumping up and down with excitement for my next story and bursting into tears. :D I did have a blast writing this, and I really hope you all enjoyed reading it!!!**

**That being said, I can't wait to start my new story... which you have voted will be Back to Back. I apologize to everyone who voted for Heaven on Earth. I really will try to write it eventually. I really hope you'll try reading Back to Back anyway. ...Please? :D**

**Alright... *clears throat and unfolds a piece of paper* … I would like to formally thank my non-existent agent, Sunrise for giving me ...ahem...permission to write this, Shizuru's parents (we all know how supportive they can be) ... lol, okay seriously though...**

**I'd really like to thank everyone who read my story. Bonus points to whoever made it up to this point without bashing their head against a wall, lol. Huge thanks goes out to everyone who reviewed as well- you guys were definitely the main reason I kept writing. :D **

...**Speaking of reviews, I was happy so many of you like the snow scene at the end of chapter 20. However, I completely cannot take all the credit for it, lol. My extreme thanks goes out to WouldBeSenpai who gave me the idea! :D (...You can try to refuse credit once again... but now I have witnesses!!! *evil laugh*) :D**

**Oh, and this is in response to a question from Evrae: Lol, it did occur to me that Natsuki could be able to control water inside of the human body, but I decided to rule it out. The only reason I did so was... well... you can just picture Natsuki and Shizuru making out and then Natsuki accidently blocking off blood flow to both of thier brains when things get too hot. Lol, yeah... so, I hope that helps. :D Very good question though!  
**

**So, before I babble so incessantly this speech reaches the length I could use for my English class next year... I hope you like the last chapter/epilogue!**

**Thanks so much for reading!!! Please review!!! :D**

* * *

**Chapter # 21: Epilogue**

Mashiro laughed, watching the display from her window. They certainly were... enthusiastic. Even Fumi couldn't suppress a smile when she saw them start to make a run for it.

"And what about them?" Mashiro asked thoughtfully, turning to Fumi.

"Those two?" The pink haired woman asked, her glimpse into the future still fresh in her mind.

Mashiro nodded, waiting for an answer.

Fumi met her gaze, smiling in recollection. "...They will be one of the best pairings FANG will ever see."

* * *

**Six Years Later...**

Natsuki and Shizuru sprinted into the room, glancing around quickly. Without missing a beat Natsuki grabbed the closest man, shoving him into the wall and delivering a strong kick to his chest. The man's eyes widened in shock before he collapsed, slumped onto the ground.

He didn't get up.

Shizuru glanced quickly around at the four remaining criminals, choosing to ignore the cries for help from the woman tied to a chair in the middle of the room. Pivoting, she executed a perfect kick towards of the criminal's heads. She then spun, blocking a punch she knew was coming from the woman behind her.

Natsuki turned, coating her fist in ice before delivering a swift blow to the back of the woman's head. The woman toppled to the ground at their feet. Shizuru and Natsuki's eyes met, small smiles on their faces before they turned to face the three remaining threats. They turned so they were standing back to back, knees bent into their perfected stances.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki smirked, tilting her head slightly towards Shizuru.

"Natsuki." Shizuru smiled, raising an eyebrow.

In perfect synchronization they pivoted, taking out the two closest men with one well placed kick.

The remaining man gulped over dramatically, baking away slowly. Shizuru calmly pushing him gently back into the wall. Natsuki followed the brown haired woman, a satisfied smirk on her face as the ice around her fist disappeared with an impressive wave of steam.

"Stay where you are." Shizuru ordered, tilting the man's face so he would meet her eyes. The man's eyes widened as he made a show of trying to move. Natsuki stopped herself from rolling her eyes.

"W..what are you? Police?" The man stuttered, looking absolutely terrified.

"Police?" Natsuki raised an eyebrow. She turned, raising her fist next to her face so the FANG patch on the side of her arm clearly stood out. "...You wish."

The man's eyes widened in horror as he looked down at the patch. Natsuki smirked before turning to Shizuru. She met her eyes briefly before glancing back nervously at the criminal.

"Don't worry Natsuki," Shizuru smiled, stepping dangerously close to the blue haired woman. "He's not going anywhere."

Natsuki nodded, jogging quickly over to the woman in the middle of the room. Shizuru followed behind quickly, untying the woman's hands with unusual speed.

"Are you alright ma'am?" Shizuru asked, helping the woman get up.

The woman nodded quickly, a look of relief on her face. "You're from the FANG unit?" She asked excitedly, a large smile now on her face. "I knew you would come! How can I ever repay you?"

Natsuki mentally bashed her head against the wall. Even Shizuru was having a little trouble maintaining her composure.

"I..It's alright ma'am." Natsuki replied, forcing the words out. "We're just..." She took a deep breath, unable to suppress the annoyed look on her face any longer. "We're just doing our..." She stopped, sighing as she crossed her arms and turned around.

"Job?" Shizuru prompted, a small smile on her face.

"Cut!" The director furiously yelled. Shizuru and Natsuki turned to face him quickly. "What happened to you!? Things were going so well!" He glared at Natsuki as one of the camera man stepped back to give him some space.

"Ow." The man slumped against the ground got up slowly. "You didn't have to actually kick me you know," he grumbled to Natsuki. The other four 'criminals' got up, walking over to the center.

Natsuki grinned. "I thought we wanted this to look realistic?"

"Natsuki," Shizuru scolded, laughing.

Natsuki turned to look at the brown haired woman, smirking. "Well... realistic besides the fact that Shizuru and I sprint into the room full of bad guys completely unarmed," Natsuki added as an afterthought.

Shizuru couldn't help but nod.

"I already told you." The director sighed. "Guns bring up the rating and then we couldn't put the commercial on the lowest rated channels."

"Okay, okay," Natsuki sighed.

"Back to the point, _why_ did you stop? You were on the second last line." The director demanded, glancing to the line prompter standing behind him as if it was her fault.

Natsuki raised her eyebrows. Shizuru laughed.

"Um... because this commercial is probably the worst thing that will ever air?" Natsuki offered.

The director scowled, taking personal offense.

"Don't worry ma'am, were just doing our job?" Natsuki continued, trying to prove her point. "Do you really think we say that to people?"

"There you go." The director replied, ignoring the comment. "You've finally got it. Now," He motioned for the camera man to switch angles. "We'll take it from when the victim gets untied."

Natsuki groaned, turning to Shizuru for help.

"I'm sorry Natsuki, it seems we have no choice," Shizuru smiled. Natsuki sighed, allowing Shizuru to pull her closer. She bridged the gap, pulling Shizuru's back in so they were touching tightly.

"You know it's a good thing they don't make us wear these all the time," Natsuki started, glancing down at Shizuru's outfit with a grin on her face. The black skin tight uniforms they were wearing were their press outfits, mock uniforms they would never wear on real missions. That being said, they certainly did a good job emphasizing certain physical attributes.

"Ara," Shizuru replied, raising her eyebrows as her face flushed lightly.

"It would be like high school all over again," Natsuki finished, smirking.

Shizuru laughed, glancing down at Natsuki's outfit and nodding in agreement. Regardless of how many people were shooting at her, if Natsuki walked in wearing _that, _there was no way she could get her power to work casually slid her hands over Natsuki's stomach, curving them around her waist.

"Hello? You might vaguely remember the commercial we're trying to shoot," the director interrupted, scowling.

Shizuru and Natsuki pulled away. The annoyed look on Natsuki's face compensated for Shizuru's neutral smile and then some. The director was getting on both of their nerves.

"Why am I doing this?" Natsuki turned back to Shizuru.

"So we can keep the house we just bought." Shizuru laughed.

Natsuki sighed. It _was_ a very nice house. "Fine," she grumbled before turning back to the director. "But honestly, what's with the police line? Don't you think that's a little harsh to the police?"

The director glanced up, looking genuinely confused. "Look Kuga-san. Where do you think FANG's funding comes from? From the same place as the police department's. Commercials like these are important if you want to continue getting paid the ridiculously high salary that you do."

Shizuru looked a little taken back, thought she quickly covered the expression with one of mild amusement.

"They don't even pay us that much!" Natsuki exclaimed. "Do you know this stupid commercial pays three times what we make in one month?" And it wasn't like doing a commercial was exactly life-threatening. Natsuki glanced back at the director. For her and Shizuru anyway.

"Then I don't see why you're complaining." The director replied smugly, tilting the camera so it was just right. "Now, shall we?"

Natsuki's eyes widened as she turned back to Shizuru to complain. Shizuru laughed, giving her a brief kiss.

"Please Natsuki?" Shizuru asked, locking eyes playfully with the younger woman.

Natsuki scowled, but walked into position nevertheless. The 'victim' sat back down in the chair so her hands could be tied, and criminal's one through four slumped down onto the floor. Criminal number five backed against the wall once more.

"Now, Fujino-san rushes in to untie the woman. Kuga-san, try to say _all_ of you lines this time?"

Natsuki glared but the director didn't even look up. His eyes were fixed on the preview screen. Shizuru pulled Natsuki out of frame so they could run in.

"And... action." The director made a frantic motion with his hand.

Shizuru ran over to the woman, untying her quickly. She turned so she was angled towards the camera. "Are you alright ma'am?" The concern in her voice came out perfectly. Even the director was impressed.

The woman nodded violently. "You're from the FANG unit?! I knew you would come! How can I ever repay you?"

Natsuki repressed a sigh. "It's alright ma'am," she said confidently. "We're just doing our job." She stopped, quite pleased with herself for getting the line out.

The director and Shizuru waited for Natsuki to say her last line. Natsuki looked at Shizuru. Weren't they supposed to stop now? Shizuru casually nudged Natsuki's foot with her own, the movement so low it was out of the shot.

Natsuki's eyes widened slightly as she remembered. "A..and the FANG unit takes their job _very_ seriously."

The director nodded, gesturing to the camera man to zoom in on Natsuki and Shizuru's faces. Natsuki turned back to Shizuru. That was definitely all she had to say...right? They still hadn't stopped filming. She kept the expression on her face neutral just in case, locking eyes with Shizuru. They waited ten seconds. The camera was now moving around them in a circular pattern.

Shizuru took a deep breath, trying desperately to stop the small smile forming on her face as the camera slid past Natsuki's head.. The corners of Natsuki's mouth slowly turned up in an irrepressible smile.

"And _cut_." The director said firmly, giving the two women a disapproving look. At least they'd held out long enough for him to get what he needed.

There were clapping sounds from the side of the room not done up like a movie set.

Natsuki and Shizuru turned, horrified looks crossing their faces when they saw Chie and Aoi waving at them.

"Please tell me you just got here," Natsuki said, walking over with Shizuru to meet them.

"Oh, no." Chie grinned. "We saw everything, didn't we Aoi?"

Aoi laughed, nodding sheepishly.

Chie turned to Natsuki once more, imitating her voice. "Police? You wish."

Natsuki groaned. Shizuru couldn't help but laugh. "Our commercial is worse then my parents' isn't it?" Natsuki turned to Shizuru.

"Quite possibly." Shizuru nodded, an amused look on her face.

"Hey, just be glad they want you to do a commercial," Chie replied. "I wouldn't mind getting paid that much to spew out a few corny lines." Chie sighed. "But no, _we _didn't get voted in the top five favorite pairings."

"Um... what?" Natsuki asked, turning to Shizuru. "There was a vote?"

Shizuru raised her eyebrows. She hadn't known either.

Chie gasped. "You don't know about the vote?! What do you live under a rock?"

"What are you talking about?" Natsuki asked. "And you were at our housewarming party last week."

Chie laughed taking a step back. "True," She replied, making a gesture with both her hands. Two small chairs appeared out of nowhere, one next to each hand.

"Very nice." Natsuki grinned. "I remember when the only thing you could teleport was your cellphone."

Chie scowled, teleporting two more chairs for herself and Aoi. "Sit down." She instructed, taking a seat. She lifted her hands up to her lap, a laptop appearing by the time they got there.

Natsuki and Shizuru exchanged weary looks before taking their seats. Aoi sat down beside Chie, shooting Natsuki and Shizuru an apologetic look.

Chie typed quickly for a moment, then paused. A few clicks later she grinned, turning the screen around so Natsuki and Shizuru could see.

Natsuki leaned in, reading the banner at the top of the website. _FANG Unit official site – FANG member information center. _Her eyes scrolled down to poll in the middle of the page with the title: _Vote for your favorite FANG pair now! _

Chie gave them a moment to read before turning the laptop back to herself. "Now, let's say just for fun we vote for me and Aoi..." She clicked on the title, scrolled down through the 278 listed pairs worldwide and chose the option for herself. It was close to the top since they were considered one of the newer pairs, having only been deployed four years ago.

Natsuki and Shizuru exchanged amused smiles. Naturally she'd vote for herself.

"There," Chie said, leaning back in her chair. "Now you can see the results from the poll." She spun the laptop once more.

Natsuki and Shizuru glanced at the screen. Their names showed up as number three.

"Ara." Shizuru smiled, quite pleased.

Natsuki blinked a few times. "Out of 278 pairs we were voted number _three_?"

Chie nodded. "Aoi and I were voted twenty-third." She grinned to herself. "We beat Nao and Jiro. They were thirty-eight." Her smile faded a little as she narrowed her eyes. "Unfortunately Mai and Reito came in seventh. That guy is too photogenic."

Natsuki laughed. She didn't mind... as long as she and Shizuru beat them of course. The two pairs that did beat them had gathered so many fans because they'd both been deployed for over 13 years.

"But, really, what did you expect?" Chie continued. "You guys have always been really popular. And that mob bust last year bumped you up to number two in the FANG performance charts. Basically the combination of your incredible good looks, Shizuru's political skills, and the vote from every gay woman who owns a computer, you guys were pretty much a shoe in."

Shizuru beamed, turning to Natsuki. Natsuki raised her eyebrows. "You know I never really thought being gay would _help_ us in the popularity section."

Chie grinned. "You'd be surprised." She popped an envelope out of thin air. "Sumiko, the top PR woman asked me to give you this on the way over. Aoi and I got one too. So did Den and Goro, you know the guys who came out a few months ago?"

Shizuru nodded, smiling. She'd always known there was something more serious than friendship between the two new FANG members. She took the envelope after a moment, glancing at Aoi questioningly.

"Anyway, FANG is thrilled about what's in that envelope. Free publicity for them, plus they get to play the diversity card." Chie informed them.

"We've been asked to attend a gay rights convention in the fall." Aoi explained, smiling at the look on Natsuki's face.

"What?!" Natsuki replied, looking down at the envelops in Shizuru's hand. "Why?"

Chie, Aoi and Shizuru all turned to look at her. Chie raise her eyebrows. "If you really need me to answer that you have more problems then the guy you bought in Saturday night."

Shizuru stifled a laugh.

Natsuki glared at Chie. "Well I get _why_, it's just... why do they want us to come?"

"Because," Chie said definitively. "You're both gay rights activists."

Shizuru and Natsuki exchanged confused looks. "No were not!" Natsuki replied defensively. There was a small pause as she glanced back over at Shizuru. "...right?"

Shizuru laughed. "I don't think so Natsuki."

"Well, that's not what it says in your biographies." Chie grinned, patting her laptop. "Besides you're actively gay, what more do want?"

"Is this from that interview we did last year?" Natsuki asked, sounding quite horrified. "They got enough information from _that_ to do biographies?"

"I wish they would have informed us." Shizuru added, suddenly weary. Who knew what it said about them. "How long have they been available for public viewing?"

"They just went up," Chie answered. "I don't know why it took them so long, but I'm sure you can make them change it if you want." She grinned slyly. "Especially if they believe what they said about your fighting abilities."

Natsuki smirked, turning to Shizuru proudly.

"Alright, we're ready for you!" The director called, making the four woman glance over.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki asked, the horror coming across distinctly in her voice.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru replied, her eyes never leaving the director. It seemed he was looking at them after all.

"What's he talking about? I thought we got to leave now." Natsuki gulped, staring down at the camera pointed menacingly in their direction.

"We're doing the ending shots!" The director yelled, his annoyance once again evident. "Snap out of it people. I only have until six to get the footage I need."

Natsuki's fists came dangerously close to clenching. Shizuru sighed softly, getting up off her chair. Together they walked over to the director, waiting for instructions.

"Alright. This is how things are going to play out," the director started. "Kuga-san says her last line, then I'm thinking there's going to be a bright flash of light leading into a shot of Fujino-san." He turned to Shizuru. "We need to show off your power, so you'll be grabbing someone, meeting their eyes. The voice actor will say your name. Then... cross dissolve..." He waved his hands in the air as if to demonstrate. "...and boom, we're onto Kuga-san. She coats her fist with ice, knocking someone out. The voice actor says her name. Then, she turns to the camera, holding out her hand..." He reached out towards the camera lens. "...the lens coats with ice so thick you can't see anything. Then, _whoosh,_ the ice evaporates into steam, and the shot has both of you standing back to back with your weapons drawn." He stared out into space for a moment before lowering his hand and turning back to Natsuki and Shizuru.

Shizuru stopped herself from gaping. Natsuki blinked a few times. "Whoosh?" She clarified, giving the director a look.

"It's perfect," The director announced. "Now, get criminal number two back in here for Fujino-san." He turned to one of the men standing behind him. The man nodded quickly, jogging over to the door.

It took half an hour to get the two single shots done to the director's satisfaction. Natsuki glanced impatiently at the clock as they were handed their guns. It was 5:45 already, and this was _supposed_ to be her and Shizuru's day off.

Natsuki slid the first pistol she was handed into her ankle holster, hesitating before taking the second one she was handed. "Wait, I thought guns weren't allowed."

The director sighed impatiently. "It's fine as long as you're not pointing them at anyone or using them. Can we please just wrap this up?"

Natsuki gaped, turning to Shizuru angrily. Shizuru couldn't repress a smile as she rubbed the younger woman's arm reassuringly. Natsuki took a deep slow breath as she allowed herself to be positioned in front of the camera.

The director spun her around, pushing her back against Shizuru's. Natsuki leaned back on the older woman, making her laugh when she almost fell over.

"Hmm..." the director trailed off as he took a step back. "You know what?" He asked, walking over and spinning Natsuki around again so the two women were facing. "How about like... that?" He shoved her closely to Shizuru so they were almost touching fronts, the camera picking up their side profiles.

Natsuki met Shizuru's eyes, grinning slightly. Both women struggled not to close the distance between them quickly.

"I like it." The director decided. "We can't have you any closer than that, but we can certainly imply it. The public certainly seems to like the idea." He walked back over, forcing Natsuki to hold the unloaded gun with the hand furthest from the camera.. He positioned her arm, bending it around Shizuru's neck.

Shizuru blushed faintly at the possessive stance Natsuki was now in.

"Good, now point the gun at the camera," The director told Natsuki. Natsuki rolled her eyes, trying to get her arm to bend around Shizuru's neck without stepping any closer. Shizuru smiled, leaning in a little to help the younger woman out.

"Okay... and you, Fujino-san..." The director walked over to the other side, picking up Shizuru's left arm. He placed it carefully beside Natsuki's bent arm and onto her shoulder. He handed Shizuru her gun, positioning Shizuru's hand to point it at the wall behind Natsuki.

"Now... Fujino-san, put your other hand on Kuga-san's stomach."

Shizuru raised an eyebrow. The director gave her a look. Shizuru turned back to Natsuki, meeting her eyes playfully as she slid her left hand up Natsuki's leg, curving it partly around her stomach. The director nodded approvingly. "Kuga-san, put your other hand on you hip."

Natsuki did so, her eyes never leaving Shizuru's as her face flushed lightly. She couldn't wait for them to get home.

"Both of you turn your heads slightly towards the camera, eyes on me." The director continued, walking behind the camera.

Shizuru and Natsuki did so, and the director nodded. "Kuga-san, you'll have a light smirk on your face. _No,_ don't glare. You want people to buy the poster, not run from it," the director scolded.

"Another poster?" Natsuki asked, struggling to hold still. She hated publicity stunts. The last poster she and Shizuru had to do had her parents behind them in the background. She was fine with it until she saw the finished product... a large poster with the words: _Kuga Tag Team... The next Generation_, printed in huge letters underneath.

Chie grinned to Aoi, glancing over at the intimate way her two friends were positioned.

_You're not buying that poster. _Aoi mentally informed her.

Chie gaped. _Why not?_

Aoi gave her a look that Chie didn't want to question.

"Fujino-san, give us one of those trademark smiles you're so good at," the director instructed.

Shizuru exhaled slowly, struggling to keep the calm look on her face as she did as she was asked.

"Perfect. And..." The director checked the screen once more. "Action."

Shizuru and Natsuki held their positions dutifully. After thirty seconds the director finally yelled cut.

"Alright, that should be okay," the director finally said. "We can pull one of the frames for the poster, so you're free to go."

"Thank God." Natsuki replied, removing her arm from around Shizuru's neck. Shizuru smiled at her mischievously, applying just a little too much pressure as she slid her hand away from Natsuki's stomach.

Natsuki's face flushed slightly as she smiled. "We're going home now, right?" She asked Shizuru.

Shizuru's smile widened slightly as she nodded.

Natsuki grinned, snapping her gun back into it's place before walking towards the exit. "Are you on duty tommorow?" She asked Chie and Aoi.

"Yep," Chie sighed. "Technically we're on duty now too, but we heard you guys were in the shooting in one of the PR rooms and decided to stop by."

"Arigato," Shizuru replied a faint smile on her face. "That was very thoughtful of you."

Chie smirked. "We thought so too." She turned to Aoi, blushing slightly. "...And we were hoping we could use your _expertise_ for a moment Fujino-san."

Natsuki groaned. She didn't like where this was headed.

Shizuru raised an eyebrow. "What seems to be that matter?" She asked.

"Nao and Jiro got assigned to the same case as us." Chie began, taking a deep breath. "They brought in the main suspect from that murder case we were working on a day ago. The woman ran from them on sight. Not a smart move when the woman chasing you has claws."

"You have her in holding?" Natsuki clarified.

"No, she's in interrogation, but she's not saying a word." Chie replied, a worried look on her face. "We've been working on this case for two weeks now. I really just want it solved, you know?"

Shizuru nodded. "I wish I could assist you Harada-san, but without a court order you know I can't do anything."

Chie nodded, an envelope appearing in her hands. "Because she ran we got the order, though I have to admit it was a close call. Anyway, all the telepaths are on missions. We were really hoping you could give us a hand."

Shizuru nodded. "Of course."

"Arigato." Chie smiled, leading them down the hallway.

"As soon as this is finished we're leaving." Natsuki said quietly to Shizuru as they walked.

"Are you tired?" Shizuru asked, giving the navy haired woman a curious look.

Natsuki grinned. "Something like that."

"Ara," Shizuru nodded, her face flushing slightly. "Let's wrap this up quickly."

Natsuki laughed, ignoring the embarrassed look on Aoi's face.

They turned the corner quickly. Natsuki bumped into someone going the other way, startling both of them.

"Oh, sorr...." The woman started, stopping sharply when she glanced up at Natsuki. Natsuki smirked, raising her eyebrows.

"Oh, it's just you. Never mind then." Tomoe grinned, rolling her eyes as she walked down the hallway. Natsuki laughed, catching up to Chie quickly. Shizuru smiled slightly as she did the same.

"Here it is." Chie said, opening the door for them. Shizuru walked in first, waiting for everyone else to join her.

"Finally." Nao yawned, picking her head up from the desk. Why did she and Jiro always get stuck with double shifts?

Jiro glanced up, smiling. "Arigato for coming."

Shizuru nodded. "It's my pleasure." She glanced down at the cuts on the green haired man's arms, quickly looking away so she wouldn't stare.

"What the hell happened to you?" Natsuki asked, not sharing the same appreciation for tact. Shizuru hid an amused smile. "Are those claw marks?" She turned to Nao accusingly.

Nao smirked. Jiro blushed faintly.

"They're nail marks actually." He said quietly, shooting Nao a sideways glance. Nao grinned, licking her lips at him.

"On second thought, forget I asked." Natsuki said quickly, making Nao laugh. There was a long pause. Natsuki shuddered a little. She had no idea how two people as different as Nao and Jiro managed to get along. And they seemed to get along _quite_ well. It figured Nao would fall for the first guy she tried to hit on that didn't have a cell phone.

Shizuru coughed quietly, looking through the two way mirror. "I'll just be a moment." She said quickly, opening the door into the room. She paused at the doorway, closing the door quietly behind her.

The black haired woman looked up, her eyes widening when she saw Shizuru. "F..Fujino-san?" She stuttered, recognizing the well known FANG member.

"You recognize me. I'm flattered," Shizuru said calmly, walking over to the table. "I assume you know of my power." She studied the woman's face, her chest tightening when she saw the look of fear. This was why she hated interrogations.

The woman nodded wordlessly.

"I'm going to have maintain eye contact." Shizuru said quietly walking over. The woman didn't struggle when Shizuru tilted her head up slightly. "You will feel no discomfort." She told the woman, trying to make the panicked look in her eyes die down. She breathed out softly, concentrating. "You will answer all questions from Harada-san truthfully."

The woman swallowed hard, nodding slightly.

"Arigato for your cooperation," Shizuru said softly, walking back over to the door. She walked back into the conjoined room, nodding to Chie. "You will have to ask all the questions Harada-san."

"Got it." Chie replied, grabbing a folder from off of the table.

"Arigato." Aoi smiled. Shizuru nodded, glancing over at Natsuki.

Natsuki took her hand, meeting her eyes. "See you tommorow." She turned back to the other occupants in the room.

Nao smirked. "No way Kuga. _We_ have the day off."

_"This_ was supposed to be our day off." Natsuki replied dryly. "Just wait until they make you do a photo shoot."

With that she guided Shizuru out the door and down the hallway. They walked in silence for a few moments. "Are you okay?" Natsuki asked Shizuru quietly. "...I know that was hard for you."

"I will be." Shizuru smiled, wrapping her arm around the younger woman's waist. "I just can't wait to get home." Her smile widened when the words left her mouth.

"What?" Natsuki grinned, seeing the change.

"It sounds so nice to say, don't you think?" Shizuru replied. "Now that we have something that qualifies as a home."

"Our apartment qualified." Natsuki laughed.

Shizuru raised her eyebrows, a small smile on her face.

"Okay," Natsuki smirked. "It kind of qualified."

Shizuru smiled, her thoughts drifting the dinner they'd had last night. It was nice to be able to fit a dining table that wasn't two feet wide. Suddenly her smiled faded as she remembered the phone call she'd received. Why hadn't she remembered before? "I..I almost forgot to tell you Natsuki. I confess today was a little distracting." She hesitated slightly. "...My parents called last night. ...You were asleep," she explained, seeing the look of confusion on Natsuki's face.

"Oh," Natsuki replied, smiling sheepishly. "What did they say?"

Shizuru let out a small sigh. "They have invited us to a dinner they're hosting next Saturday. It would seem my father is serious about the upcoming elections."

"And they want us there?" Natsuki clarified, a little shocked.

Shizuru smiled faintly, before she spoke. "It seems our status as FANG members is quite valued politically, despite our sexuality."

"They said that?" Natsuki frowned. Usually they at least tried to come up with a better excuse.

Shizuru laughed lightly. "Of course not." Her smile faded a little as she recalled the conversation. "My parents... t..they say they miss us."

Natsuki could tell from Shizuru's tone she didn't quite believe it. Her stomach tightened a little. "Do you want to go?" She asked quietly.

Shizuru's grip on Natsuki's waist tightened slightly. "That's a very complicated question."

Natsuki nodded, kissing the side of her head gently. "I know," she replied quietly.

Shizuru rubbed her head against Natsuki's gently as they walked. They got into the elevator, Natsuki hitting the button for the ground floor.

"I suppose I _would_ like to," Shizuru said after a moment. She started to walk out when the doors opened, her voice lowered almost to a whisper. "You know I almost wish I didn't."

Natsuki turned to meet her eyes as she stepped out of the elevator. "I understand," She replied.

Shizuru nodded, smiling as she wrapped her arm around Natsuki's waist once more. "You always understand."

Natsuki grinned. One of the doors in front of them opened suddenly. There was a flash of black as someone ran out with incredible speed.

"You two." Daigo scowled, pointing his finger accusingly at the two women. Saeko smiled, stepping out behind her husband.

Natsuki and Shizuru exchanged looks. "Did you want something dad?" Natsuki asked wearily before pausing. "Wait... how did you know it was us?"

"Cameras." Daigo shrugged. "Long story. Anyway, back to the point here my child."

Natsuki raised her eyebrows, a smirk forming on her face.

"You outranked us in popularity for _third_ year in a row!" Daigo glared, his eyes narrowing.

Saeko grinned, nodding as she tried to scowl. "Clearly you two have cheated some how."

"Ara," Shizuru laughed. "And what place did you come in?"

"Twenty-fourth," Daigo replied, not looking in the least bit amused.

"Well, dad," Natsuki's grin widened. "It's understandable that you two loose your touch in your _old_ age."

Shizuru laughed, wise enough not to agree.

"My own daughter." Saeko gasped in shock. "My own daughter and her future _fiancée_ team up against their poor aging parents? What kind of a world do we live in Daigo?"

"Mom!" Natsuki laughed, rolling her eyes at the use of the word fiancée.

"Don't scoff Natsuki." Saeko scolded. "They _will_ change the marriage laws eventually. And when they do, I expect to be picking out dresses."

Shizuru smiled, kissing Natsuki on the cheek. "Ara, was that I proposal I heard Natsuki?"

Natsuki blushed, pulling Shizuru down the hallway. _"Goodbye_ mom." She said firmly, spinning around so she could scowl at her mother once more.

"Actually your mother and I saw a very nice dress yesterday, didn't we Saeko?" Daigo grinned. "It matches Shizuru's eyes quite nicely."

Natsuki laughed, rolling her eyes as she turned around. "Sorry, didn't you guys have to go retire or something?"

"We still have two years thank you very much." Daigo replied, pretending to be offended.

Shizuru smiled, holding open the FANG center doors for Natsuki. She was suddenly in a much lighter mood.

"Bye dad." Natsuki laughed, walking through the doors. The cool breeze was refreshing. "Do you want to drive?" She asked as they walked over to their car.

Shizuru's eyes trailed down Natsuki's form. "Ara, I don't think it would be wise." Shizuru replied, a small smile on her face.

"Why, is something wrong?" Natsuki asked. She unzipped the pocket on her suit and took out her keys.

"It's against regulations to drive while intoxicated." Shizuru informed the younger woman. "Is it not?"

Natsuki paused, stopping two feet away from the car. "Shizuru, I was with you all day. All you drank was water," Natsuki replied, a suspicious look on her face.

Shizuru grinned, nodding as she stepped closer. "That's quite true Natsuki." She stopped when they were almost touching, meeting Natsuki's eyes with her own. "However, seeing you in that suit has quite the same effect."

Natsuki grinned, wrapping her arms around the brown haired woman's neck. She traced her fingers lightly down her bare skin, ice forming on her fingertips. She slid her fingers down slowly as their eyes met, leaving a trail of water glistening on Shizuru's warm skin.

Shizuru stifled a gasp, her eyes fluttering closed. Natsuki smiled, her face flushing as tried to maintain concentration. The ice on her fingertips turned to steam, the sudden warmth making Shizuru inhale sharply.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru said quietly, her cheeks heating up uncontrollably.

"Yes?" Natsuki replied.

"You're going to have to speed."

Natsuki laughed, giving Shizuru a quick kiss on the lips before getting into the car. Shizuru did the same, her lips curved up in a slight smile.

Their day off was suddenly improving.

* * *

**A/N: Lol, in the interest of keeping this T rated, you can all use your imaginations for when they get home. :D**

**...Well, I hope the epilogue gave an interesting peek into their future. I didn't want to put them in a life or death situation for the one glimpse you guys get for now. It would kind of be a bad omen for them, lol, so I kept it light-hearted.**

**Oh, and I don't know if you guys will shoot me for the Nao/Jiro thing or not... Lol, it just sort of occurred to me, and I don't know... I kind of like it. :D**

**Oops, almost forgot... I'll probably be going back to re-edit this some time soon. A couple people have pointed out some mistakes that really need fixing lol (thanks though, I really do appreciate it). :D  
**

**Thanks once again for all of your support!!! Please review!!! :D**

**~Sarah~**


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